Global softwood lumber trade reached an all-time high in 2015
According to WRI
Global softwood lumber trade reached an all-time high in 2015 when, according to estimates by the WRI, 118 million m3 was traded internationally. This year has started out with even higher volumes being traded around the world; the 1Q/16 shipments were approximately 20% higher than in the first quarter of 2015. All countries on the “top-10 import list” increased their lumber importation during the first few months this year with the biggest changes in import volumes being in the US, China and Egypt.
North America
There was mostly upbeat news about the US lumber market in the first few months of 2016; housing starts in March were the highest for that month since 2007, lumber consumption in early 2016 was 14% higher than the same period in 2015, lumber imports in January-April were up 42% as compared to early 2015, and lumber prices in May reached their highest levels in over a year. Despite increased domestic wood demand, lumber production on the US West coast actually fell about four percent during the first four months this year.
Canadian production was sharply higher during the first three months of 2016 as compared to the same period in 2015, with an increase of 19% in the Eastern provinces and eight percent in British Columbia.
Northern Europe
The Nordic countries increased lumber export volumes in both 2014 and 2015 and the trend continued in early 2016 with shipments during the first two months being up nine percent for Sweden and 14% for Finland.
With the continued weak demand for lumber in Europe, Asian and African markets have received larger volumes of Nordic lumber so far this year as compared to early 2015. Although the US has increased total importation of lumber by as much as 44% during the first quarter this year, Sweden has only shipped six percent more than in the 1Q/15 and Finnish sawmills have not sent any lumber at all.
China
Importation of lumber to China from the two largest supplying countries, Russia and Canada, were 33% and 4% higher respectively, during the first four months of 2016 as compared to the same period in 2015. Shipments of predominantly pine from Russia have gone up substantially the past year with deliveries in April this year 1.1 million m3 as compared to 820,000 m3 in April 2015. Despite the significant depreciation of the Rouble during 2015 and 2016, Canadian lumber prices have actually fallen faster than Russian lumber prices in US dollar terms.
Japan
Housing starts of 2x4 houses in Japan were up 3% in the 1Q/16 as compared to the same quarter in 2015. Increased lumber demand has been met both by higher production at the country’s sawmills and by increased importation. In the 1Q/16, import volumes increased by 12% year-over-year with particularly Finland, Sweden and Austria shipping more lumber this year.
Russia
Lumber exports from Russia have fallen for two consecutive quarters, with the 1Q/16 shipments being almost 10% lower than in the 3Q/15, but six percent higher than in the 1Q/15. Most of the recent decline has been in shipments to the CIS countries, including Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Tajikistan, but trade with Egypt and some European countries were also down. Export prices have fallen quite substantially in dollar terms the past two years at the same time as values in Rouble terms were close to record high levels in the 1Q/16.
Comercio madera blanda mundial alcanzó un récord histórico en 2015According a WRIGlobal comercio madera blanda alcanzó un récord histórico en el año 2015, según estimaciones de la IRG, 118 millones de m3 fue objeto de comercio internacional. Este año ha comenzado con más volúmenes se comercializan en el mundo; los envíos de 1Q/16 fueron aproximadamente 20% mayor que en el primer trimestre de 2015. Todos los países en la "lista de importación de top-10" aumentaron su importación de madera durante los primeros meses de este año con los mayores cambios en los volúmenes de importación en los Estados Unidos, China y Egypt.North AmericaThere era sobre todo noticias optimistas acerca de los Estados Unidos mercado de la madera en los primeros meses de 2016; viviendas iniciadas en marzo fueron el más alto para ese mes desde 2007, consumo de madera en 2016 temprano fue 14% mayor que en el mismo periodo en el año 2015, las importaciones de madera en enero-abril subieron un 42% en comparación con principios del 2015 y madera precios en mayo alcanzaron sus niveles más altos en más de un año. A pesar de la creciente demanda interna de madera, madera producción en la costa oeste nos realmente cayó alrededor del cuatro por ciento durante los primeros cuatro meses de este año. Producción canadiense fue mucho mayor durante el primer trimestre de 2016 en comparación con el mismo período en el año 2015, con un aumento de 19% en las provincias del este y ocho por ciento en Columbia Británica.