China

China's import volumes keep rising

Article by Gerd Ebner, translated by Susanne Höfler | 27.06.2019 - 14:46

Chinese softwood lumber imports gained another 17% in the first five months and currently amount to 11.6 million m³. This development has one big and several smaller winners.

Back

60% of imported softwood lumber comes from Russia. In five months, Russia exported more than 7 million m³ which is 18% more than in the same period last year.

Strong increases were observed for Canadian deliveries. The price weakenings in the United States evidently prompted the neighbor to supply substantial additional deliveries (+43% to 2.2 million m³). In terms of percentage, the strongest increase was registered for deliveries from the Ukraine: +157% to 313,000, as Customs Statistic China reports.

Further losses, however, for Scandinavian suppliers: Only 513,000 m³ came from Finland (-20%), 259,000 m³ (-34%) from Sweden.

Chinese imports of softwood lumber May 2019
Country	Jan–May 2018	Jan–May 2019	Change in %
Values in 1,000 m³
Russia	5,953	7,043	18
Canada	1,578	2,260	43
Finland	645	513	–20
Ukraine	122	313	157
Sweden	390	259	–34
Germany	72	246	239
Chile	293	227	–22
USA	237	139	–41
New Zealand	145	122	–16
Brazil	156	109	–30
Other Countries	322	375	16
Total	9,913	11,607	17