Strong growth of lumber exports to the MENA region

Article by Birgit Fingerlos (translated by Eva Guzely) | 26.09.2025 - 10:17

In the first half of 2025, softwood lumber exports from the leading supplying countries to markets in the Middle East and North Africa increased by 11% year on year to a total of 5.68 million m³.

Finland further strengthened its leadership position. In the first six months of 2025, the country saw its shipments to the MENA region increase by around 35% year on year to 1.52 million m³. In the first half of 2024, Finland only sold 1.13 million m³ in the region. A clear upward trend can also be observed in deliveries from Austria (550,000 m³; +17%), Romania (313,000 m³; +16%), Brazil (251,000 m³; +77%), and the remaining EU countries (585,000 m³; +20%). In contrast, Germany (-45%), Chile (-23%), Canada (-19%), and the US (-34%) recorded noticeable decreases compared to the first half of 2024.

Figures published by the various countries’ statistical offices were used for this analysis. As always, you can find more detailed foreign trade figures in the Datacube.

Softwood lumber exports to the MENA region | Q2 2025
Horizontal: IMPORTERS \| Vertical: EXPORTERS
Shipments of the biggest global softwood lumber exporters to North Africa and the Middle East (in 1,000 m³)
Country	Egypt	Saudi Arabia	Morocco	Algeria	UAE	Israel	Lybia	Tunisia	Other MENA countries	1-6 2024	1-6 2025	Diff. in %
Finland	697,297	242,111	127,320	135,829	244	228,250	22,299	36,516	30,882	1,125,685	1,520,748	35
Sweden	504,515	136,628	232,584	188,765	1,281	34,391	53,276	45,924	26,545	1,260,998	1,223,909	–3
Russia	300,000	n/s	n/s	n/s	n/s	n/s	n/s	n/s	n/s	920,000	940,000	2
Austria	1,093	128,582	75,301	124,922	69,826	9,804	48,030	13,390	79,322	468,705	550,269	17
Romania	550	70,982	7,296	827	112,246	8,004	476	–	113,043	269,294	313,424	16
Brazil	–	125,546	10,607	–	76,843	10,805	–	–	27,133	141,710	250,934	77
Germany	6,986	39,874	17,429	19,882	26,206	6,203	–	64	17,555	242,013	134,199	–45
Chile	–	62,626	-	–	21,767	–	–	–	24,270	140,602	108,664	–23
Canada	4,000	11,333	179	–	13,827	335	–	–	12,088	51,478	41,762	–19
USA	7,988	210	275	901	938	1,387	1,366	459	1,651	22,919	15,175	–34
Other EU contries	80,471	87,243	164,657	64,576	52,540	44,992	17,419	14,532	58,926	487,648	585,356	20
Total	1,602,900	905,135	635,648	535,702	375,718	344,171	142,866	110,885	n/s	5,131,052	5,684,440	11

Sources: EU countries: Eurostat; BR: MDIC/Comex Stat; CA: Statistics Canada; CL: Ministry of Agriculture (Minagri)/INFOR; US: FAS/United States Department of Agriculture; RU: Holzkurier estimate. Product groups: 440711, 440712, 440713, 440714 and 440719. Notes: Austria does not have ports of its own and therefore ships its softwood lumber to the MENA region via ports in Slovenia and Croatia. The applied model also takes Austrian exports to these two countries into account. These exports were deducted from Slovenian and Croatian exports and added to Austrian ones. The distribution to the countries of North Africa and the Middle East was done in percent. The MENA region as defined by the Holzkurier: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iraq, Islamic Republic of Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen. Cumulative volume of top destinations with the exception of Egypt: without volumes from Russia. | © www.holzkurier.com