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Last year, China imported 48.7 million sm³ of log wood amounting to US-$ 8.08 bn, as stated in a market report by the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO). Compared to the previous year, this is a volume increase by 9%. The corresponding value gained 3%.
34 million sm³ of the total volume were softwood logs (+13%) and 14.7 million sm³ hardwood logs (+1.6%). The average CIF price (cost, insurance and freight) achieved was US-$ 121/sm³ (±0%) and US-$ 270/sm³ (-11%) respectively. 9.1 million sm³ of the total hardwood lumber volume were tropical timber.
About a quarter or 12 million sm³ (+12%) of the timber China imported came from New Zealand. Russia came in second with 11.2 million sm³ gaining 5%. Large increases were recorded for deliveries from the United States (5.3 million sm³; +29%), Australia (3.63 million sm³; +28%), Canada (2.84 million sm³; +20%) as well as Equatorial Guinea (1.08 million sm³; +65%).
Ukraine ranked 9th with 920,000 sm³. Referring to data by the Chinese custom authorities, ITTO reports of a decrease in volume of 3% compared to the previous year.
