With a total of 44.2 million m³, China saw its softwood log imports grow by 7% last year. This is according to China Customs Statistics. The country received 17.3 million m³ from its main supplying country, i.e. New Zealand, which corresponds to an increase of 2%. Imports from Russia, on the other hand, plummeted by 27% to 5.8 million m³. Nearly 4.3 million m³ of softwood logs, and thus 4% more than in 2018, were bought from Australia.
The growth rates of two European supplying countries are particularly remarkable. Last year, China imported 3.8 million m³ from Germany, i.e. over 1800% more than in 2018. Softwood log imports from the Czech Republic saw a similar development with 2.3 million m³ and thus an increase of 1255%.
Imports from the US fell by 2 million m³ (-40%), though.
China Softwood log imports (1,000 m³) January – December 2019
Country | 1-12 2018 | 1-12 2019 | Diff. in % |
---|---|---|---|
New Zealand | 17,038 | 17,361 | 2 |
Russia | 7,953 | 5,800 | -27 |
Australia | 4,127 | 4,273 | 4 |
Germany | 196 | 3,804 | 1,842 |
USA | 5,030 | 3,026 | –40 |
Canada | 2,331 |
2,355 | 1 |
Czech Republic | 169 | 2,291 | 1,255 |
Uruguay | 2,060 | 1,310 | -36 |
Japan | 922 | 930 | 0.8 |
Poland | 335 | 471 | 41 |
Other countries | 1,167 | 2,587 | 122 |
Total | 41,327 | 44,207 | 7 |