Russia's share of the globally traded logs has fallen dramatically © Sennebogen

Russian log and lumber export value dropped 27% since 2006

Article by Robert Spannlang, edited for Timber-online | 17.03.2014 - 11:59

Softwood log export plunge by far outweighs increase in lumber shipments

The Russian log export tax that was implemented in 2007 resulted in a sharp decline oflog exportation with the Russian share of globally traded logs falling from 44% in 2006to 15% in 2013. While the intended increase of softwood lumber shipments reached US-$ 300 million in the last six years, the value of softwood log exports have fallen about US-$ 2 billion. All in all, the total value of timber – round and sawn – was 27% lower in 2013 than in 2006, Wood Resource Quarterly reports.

Yielding to pressure from the WTO when Russia joined the organisation in 2012, log export tariffs were reduced from 25% to between 13 and 15%. But foreign log buyers have not rushed back to Russia to buy logs, and export volumes in 2013 were down another 4% as compared to 2012.