Russia and Austria lead to an increase in the MENA region

Article by Raphael Kerschbaumer (translated by Eva Guzely) | 27.01.2025 - 09:45

An upswing in the third quarter of 2024 has led to a slight year-on-year increase in the volume of softwood lumber delivered to the MENA region. The top dogs from Northern Europe lost some ground in the first nine months. Russia, Austria and Romania, among others, compensated for this decrease, though.

In the first half-year, softwood lumber exports to the MENA region had decreased by 7% (see Russia is gaining a foothold in the MENA region). By the end of the third quarter, however, exports there increased by 2% to a total of around 7.9 million m³.

This is mainly due to Russia, which, according to Holzkurier estimates, was able to increase its softwood lumber deliveries by 150,000 m³ year on year to around 1.4 million m³ in the first three quarters of 2024.

A marked increase was also recorded in imports from Austria. Austrian producers managed to raise their exports to the MENA region by 11% to nearly 700,000 m³. Romania even saw its deliveries grow by 40% to a total of 420,000 m³ in the first three quarters of this year.

Meanwhile, Sweden (1.87 million m³; -6%) and Finland (1.86 million m³; -4%), the two most important trading partners of the countries in North Africa and the Middle East, suffered losses. Together, they recorded a cumulative decrease of more than 200,000 m³ in softwood lumber exports.

Softwood lumber exports to the MENA region | Q3 2024
Horizontal: Importers \| Vertical: Exporters	Egypt	Saudi Arabia	Algeria	Morocco	UAE	Israel	Libya	Tunisia	Other MENA countries	1-9 2023	1-9 2024	Diff. in %
Shipments of the biggest global softwood lumber exporters to North Africa and the Middle East (in 1,000 m³)
Sweden	981	184	243	268	3	34	54	40	58	1,992	1,865	–6
Finland	891	285	174	148	0	233	17	62	49	1,945	1,860	–4
Russia	450	n/s	n/s	n/s	n/s	n/s	n/s	n/s	n/s	1,250	1,400	12
Austria	5	147	154	60	117	13	46	13	137	567	691	22
Romania	5	110	1	12	137	14	0	0	142	304	421	38
Germany	35	82	70	19	86	12	7	0.4	58	415	371	–11
Chile	0	111	0	0	65	0	0	0	47	195	223	14
Brazil	1	86	0	9	87	3	0	0	29	273	215	–21
Canada	8	18	0	0.3	27	0.1	0	0	14	64	68	5
USA	14	1	5	1	2	2	3	3	3	28	33	16
EU (excl. Top 5)	184	116	64	137	72	62	9	17	92	743	755	2
Total	2,574	1,140	712	656	597	372	137	134	629	7,778	7,902	2

Sources: AT: Statistik Austria; other EU countries: Eurostat; BR: MDIC/Comex Stat; CA: Statistics Canada; CL: Ministry of Agriculture (Minagri)/INFOR; US: FAS/United States Department of Agriculture; RU: Holzkurier estimate. Product groups: 440711, 440712, 440713, 440714 and 440719. Notes: Austria does not have ports of its own and therefore ships its softwood lumber to the MENA region via ports in Slovenia and Croatia. The applied model also takes Austrian exports to these two countries into account. These exports were deducted from Slovenian and Croatian exports and added to Austria. The distribution to the countries of North Africa and the Middle East was done in percent. The MENA region as defined by the Holzkurier: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iraq, Islamic Republic of Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen. Cumulative volume of top destinations with the exception of Egypt: without volumes from Russia | © www.holzkurier.com