In 2023, the US imported 33.95 million m³ of softwood lumber. Compared to 2022, this corresponds to a decrease of 7% or 2.4 million m³. As a look in the Datacube shows, it was the smallest overall import volume since 2015. In that year, imports had totaled 32.36 million m³, before the record volume of over 38 million m³ was reached only one year later, in 2016.
Last year, the US bought 28.1 million m³ of softwood lumber from Canada. Year on year, purchases have been reduced by nearly 7%. Meanwhile, the US imported an unprecedented volume of softwood lumber from Germany, i.e. 2.42 million m³, which is 8% more than in 2022. Sweden exceeded the 1-million-m³-mark for the first time, thanks to a year-on-year increase of 13% in 2023. Finland also stands out among the Top 10 supplying countries with a marked relative increase (123,000 m³; +36%).
Decreases were recorded in softwood lumber imports from Brazil (485,000 m³; -20%) and Austria (411,000 m³; -22%).
Data collected and published by the FAS were used for the analysis.
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