From January to April, China imported 7.98 million m³ of softwood sawn timber. Year on year, imports fell by 10%. Volumes were considerably lower than last year especially in February. In April, however, they nearly returned to the level reached in 2019.
Imports from Russia fell by 17% to 4.45 million m³ in the first four months, while those from Canada saw a decrease of 48% to 959,000 m³. Shipments from the US (472,000 m³; +386%) and Sweden (326,000 m³; +66%), on the other hand, saw marked increases. Data are collected by China Customs Statistics.
China softwood sawn timber imports (1,000 m³) January to April 2020
| Country | 1-4 2019 | 1-4 2020 | Diff. in % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Russia | 5,373 | 4,445 | –17 |
| Canada | 1,833 | 959 | –48 |
| USA | 97 | 472 | 386 |
| Finland | 381 | 340 | –11 |
| Sweden | 197 | 326 | 66 |
| Ukraine | 248 | 275 | 11 |
| Germany | 173 | 264 | 52 |
| Chile | 145 | 199 | 37 |
| Belarus | 59 | 158 | 170 |
| New Zealand | 87 | 103 | 19 |
| Other countries | 296 | 439 | 48 |
| Total | 8,888 | 7,981 | –10 |
