Global sawn timber market: Germany on the fast lane

The 20 biggest softwood sawn timber flows in H1 2020

Article by Gerd Ebner (translated by Eva Guzely) | 10.09.2020 - 10:11

In the first half year, Germany’s softwood sawn timber shipments to the US grew considerably. As a result, Germany made up the most ground in Holzkurier’s analysis of global trade flows. Due to the decrease in Austrian exports to Italy, this trade flow is further down in the ranking.

In the first half year, Canadian exports to the US fell by 10% to 14.1 million m³. Nonetheless, it remains the world’s biggest bilateral softwood sawn timber trade flow. Canada also shipped less to China. Despite a decrease of 37%, which brings the total down to 1.7 million m³, this is still the third biggest export volume.

Russia sold 9 million m³ to China, which corresponds to a 7% decrease year on year. This trade flow still remained the second biggest in the world.

Due to the corona pandemic, Austrian exports to Italy decreased considerably in the first half year. A 19% decline to 1.1 million m³ was enough to make the fourth biggest trade flow in 2019 the sixth biggest this year.

According to Holzkurier’s analysis, Germany made up the most ground. Thanks to an increase of nearly 50% in shipments to the US, the country gained four places and is now in eighth place.

Swedish exports to China, however, saw an even more marked increase – in percentage terms as well as in absolute terms. This year, exports rose by 61% to 230,000 m³. This could be the result of a compensation of Finnish shipments. Due to strikes, Finland recorded a year-on-year decrease of 19% in exports to China in the first half year.

The 20 biggest global softwood sawn timber flows in Q2 2020
N.	Exporter	Importer	1–6 2019	1–6 2020	Diff. in %
Trade flows incl. planed timber in 1,000 m³
1	Canada	USA	15,787	14,145	–10
2	Russia	China	9,665	9,011	–7
3	Canada	China	2,783	1,741	–37
4	Sweden	Great Britain	1,348	1,148	–15
5	Russia	Uzbekistan	1,084	1,121	3
6	Austria	Italy	1,361	1,101	–19
7	Sweden	Egypt	686	873	27
8	Germany	USA	525	779	48
9	Canada	Japan	911	744	–18
10	Sweden	China	380	612	61
11	Finland	Egypt	828	600	–28
12	Finland	China	723	586	–19
13	Sweden	Netherlands	460	553	20
14	Germany	China	380	540	42
15	Sweden	Norway	504	534	6
16	Russia	Azerbaijan	439	528	20
17	Belarus	Latvia	423	524	24
18	Austria	Germany	538	514	–5
19	Sweden	Denmark	428	512	20
20	Russia	Japan	516	512	–1

Sources: CA: Statistics Canada, RU: Federal Customs Service, SE: Statistics Sweden, FI: Finnish Customs, DE: Destatis, AT: Statistik Austria, CZ: Czech Statistical Office, BY: National Statistical Committee of the Republic of Belarus (Belstat), BE: Eurostat, BR: Comex Stat – MDIC – conversion of kg into m3, conversion factor 550 (product groups 440711, 440719), CL: Ministry of Agriculture (Minagri – Chile), US: United States Department of Agriculture, LV: Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia, UA: State Statistics Service of Ukraine (Ukrstat), NZ: Statistics New Zealand © www.holzkurier.com