In 2024, the value of exports from Canada to the US rose by 3%. US softwood lumber prices fell constantly until May and only recovered in the second half of last year. On average, Canadians received US-$267/m³ or €241/m³ (Note: Trump’s announcement of sweeping tariffs sent the US dollar plummeting yesterday). In terms of profitability, the US market only ranks eleventh among the Top 20 export markets.
The Canadians can also claim the most lucrative market – i.e., with their shipments to Japan. There, Canadian softwood lumber fetched US-$434/m³ or €391/m³ in 2024.
Russian softwood lumber exports to China remain the second-biggest global trade flow despite a slight decrease. In 2024, 11.2 million m³ were sold to China, which corresponds to a year-on-year decrease of 5%. With an average price of US-$204/m³ (€184/m³), this trade flow is one of the least expensive on the global market.
Sweden was able to increase its delivery volumes to Great Britain by 1% to 2.7 million m³. Despite this moderate upward trend in volumes, average revenues grew by 6% to €271/m³.
Austria exported a total of 2.6 million m³ of softwood lumber to Italy in 2024 and thus exactly the volume which was delivered there in the year before. Also, this trade flow remains the fourth largest worldwide. The average price, however, fell by 3% to €224/m³.
The biggest change in volume was recorded in the softwood lumber trade between Belarus and China. In 2024, Belarus saw its deliveries there increase by 37% to 1.1 million m³, making it the biggest increase of all the trade flows.
In terms of value, deliveries from Finland to Egypt were up by 42% compared to 2023, with Finnish suppliers earning on average €171/m³.
| Trade flows incl. planed timber in 1,000 m³ and million US-$ | ||||||||
| N. | Exporter | Importer | Volumes in 1,000 m³ | Value in million US-$ | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-12 2023 | 1-12 2024 | Diff. in % | 1-12 2023 | 1-12 2024 | Diff. in % | |||
| 1 | Canada | USA | 28,041 | 28,062 | 0.1 | 7,283 | 7,518 | 3 |
| 2 | Russia | China | 11,895 | 11,247 | –5 | 2,344 | 2,330 | –1 |
| 3 | Sweden | Great Britain | 2,680 | 2,717 | 1 | 770 | 819 | 6 |
| 4 | Austria | Italy | 2,569 | 2,581 | 0.5 | 662 | 641 | –3 |
| 5 | Russia | Uzbekistan | 1,992 | 2,163 | 9 | 310 | 343 | 11 |
| 6 | Germany | USA | 2,467 | 2,082 | –16 | 691 | 572 | –17 |
| 7 | Sweden | Egypt | 1,355 | 1,438 | 6 | 225 | 279 | 24 |
| 8 | Canada | China | 1,518 | 1,296 | –15 | 279 | 266 | –5 |
| 9 | Finland | Egypt | 1,110 | 1,282 | 15 | 174 | 247 | 42 |
| 10 | Belarus | China | 848 | 1,159 | 37 | 162 | 221 | 36 |
| 11 | Sweden | Netherlands | 1,055 | 1,091 | 3 | 291 | 331 | 14 |
| 12 | USA | Mexico | 1,091 | 1,078 | –1 | 265 | 255 | –4 |
| 13 | Sweden | USA | 1,145 | 1,028 | –10 | 332 | 304 | –8 |
| 14 | Canada | Japan | 917 | 988 | 8 | 417 | 430 | 3 |
| 15 | Latvia | Great Britain | 870 | 928 | 7 | 278 | 295 | 6 |
| 16 | Brazil | USA | 895 | 922 | 3 | 228 | 233 | 2 |
| 17 | Sweden | Denmark | 785 | 829 | 6 | 208 | 243 | 17 |
| 18 | Sweden | Japan | 643 | 813 | 26 | 196 | 258 | 32 |
| 19 | Austria | Germany | 739 | 797 | 8 | 225 | 243 | 8 |
| 20 | Germany | Austria | 799 | 775 | –3 | 216 | 215 | –0.2 |
