The value of overall exports fell from € 1.756 billion in 2018 to only € 1.68 billion last year. Germany thus lost 10% in export value, despite an increase in volume of 8%. In other words: The average value of all exports decreased by 10% from 213 €/m³ in 2018 to only 191.1 €/m³ in 2019. This value results from the trade flows to all 98 export countries which received sawn timber from Germany in 2019 (see Datacube).
The German sawmill industry recorded the highest earnings in Switzerland with an average of 317 €/m³. Japan (307.5 €/m³) and France (224.2 €/m³) follow in second and third place, respectively. Unsurprisingly, earnings from sawn timber sales were relatively low in China (144 €/m³). Earnings were lower only in Belgium (131.2 €/m³). In India, another booming market in 2019, Germany received 152.2 €/m³.
When it comes to quantities, the US was the top market in 2019 as well. Last year, the sales price fell by 15% compared to the previous year. Nonetheless, the US price of 215.3 €/m³ is the fifth highest of all German export markets. Germany thus recorded satisfactory earnings even in the US crisis year of 2019. The United Kingdom (210.9 €/m³), Austria (203 €/m³) and the Czech Republic (197.7 €/m³) follow.
| 20 biggest export markets in 2019; export earnings per cubic meter | ||||
| Export volume | Country | Earnings in €/m3 | Change in % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2018 | |||
| 16 | Switzerland | 317.0 | 309.5 | 2 |
| 18 | Japan | 307.5 | 300.0 | 3 |
| 4 | France | 224.2 | 231.4 | –3 |
| 20 | Romania | 215.5 | 196.7 | 10 |
| 1 | USA | 215.3 | 254.7 | –15 |
| 7 | Great Britain | 210.9 | 236.1 | –11 |
| 2 | Austria | 203.0 | 216.2 | –6 |
| 10 | Czech Republic | 197.7 | 202.5 | –2 |
| 3 | Netherlands | 194.1 | 201.8 | –4 |
| 11 | Korea | 191.8 | 222.5 | –14 |
| 13 | Spain | 189.3 | 202.9 | –7 |
| 12 | Poland | 181.9 | 192.0 | –5 |
| 19 | Saudi Arabia | 181.4 | 191.2 | –5 |
| 15 | Pakistan | 180.0 | 194.0 | –7 |
| 14 | UAE | 177.2 | 207.4 | –15 |
| 8 | Italy | 162.4 | 178.2 | –9 |
| 9 | India | 155.2 | 183.4 | –15 |
| 17 | Taiwan | 152.2 | 180.6 | –16 |
| 5 | China | 144.1 | 173.1 | –17 |
| 6 | Belgium | 131.2 | 162.0 | –19 |
| Average | 196.6 | 211.8 | –7 | |
