Worldwide trade of lumber inched up again in the first half of 2018. In its market report, Wood Resource Quarterly hinted that this may be another record year. Russia, Germany, Ukraine and Austria have increased their shipments the most year-over-year. Russia gained ground especially on the Chinese lumber market – at the expense of the US and Europe and also of Russian log deliveries. While the nordic countries have shipped less softwood lumber to the MENA-region and to Asia, they have increased their placements in Europe.
The biggest decline in exports y-o-y has been from Canada, with shipments in 2018 on pace to be the lowest in five years. Canadian shipments to China and the US during the 1H 2018 were down 19% and 6% respectively, as compared to the same period in 2017.
