According to the FAS, the US imported 19.99 million m³ of softwood lumber in the first seven months of 2024. Imports thus remained at the level recorded in the same period of 2023 (+0.1%). As a look in the Datacube shows, the US bought slightly bigger volumes in the two previous years, i.e. around 21.5 million m³ from January to July 2022 and 22.6 million m³ in the same period of 2021.
Purchases from Canada grew by 3% and totaled 16.9 million m³. Marked increases were also recorded in shipments from Austria (266,000 m³; +27%) and Chile (148,500 m³; +34%). Softwood lumber imports from Germany (1.2 million m³; -19%), Sweden (566,000 m³; -10%) and Brazil (278,000 m³; -8%), on the other hand, decreased in the first seven months.
The average value of softwood lumber imports was US-$4.1 billion, or US-$206/m³, from January to July. At +1%, both figures remained more or less stable compared to the same period of last year. While the value of goods imported from Germany fell by a total of 16% to just under US-$304 million, the price per cubic meter rose by 4% to US-$252/m³ compared to 2023.
A different picture emerges when it comes to imports from Austria: As mentioned above, the volume grew by 27% in the first seven months. The total value of imports increased by 32% to almost US-$71.6 million. However, the price per cubic meter only rose by 3% year-on-year to US-$269/m³.
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