In 2021, softwood accounted for 70% (3.3 million m³) of Poland’s total log exports while hardwood accounted for 30% (1.5 million m³). Thus, there has been a shift since 2020 (5.3 million m³), when 91% (4.9 million m³) of the exported log wood were softwood logs and only 9% (485,000 m³) were hardwood logs.
The main export market for softwood logs was Germany (1.3 million m³; -9% compared to 2020), followed by China (1.1 million m³; -45%). With only 1,162 m³ (2020: 735,000 m³), shipments to India have come to a near standstill and a similar development can be observed in Sweden (5,490 m³ vs. 114,000 m³). However, Poland recorded increases in softwood log exports to the Czech Republic (238,000 m³; +41%), Lithuania (167,000 m³; +50%) and Austria (50,000 m³; +500%). According to Eurostat, shipments to Denmark rose from 1,500 m³ in 2020 to 49,000 m³ in 2021 and those to Romania increased from 1,200 m³ to 149,000 m³.
When it comes to hardwood logs, Poland’s three main export markets were China with 837,000 m³ (2020: 298,000 m³), which was closely followed by Slovakia with 328,000 m³ (137,000 m³) and Germany with 113,000 m³ (114,000 m³). In 2021, marked decreases were recorded in hardwood log exports to the Czech Republic and Lithuania, while export volumes to Germany, Sweden (101,000 m³), Denmark (31,000 m³) and Austria (13,000 m³) remained stable at the level recorded in 2020.
