UK achieves highest timber import volumes of 2024 in May

Posted on August 14, 2024   |  

Timber imports in May 2024 were 897,000m³, slightly lower than the 969,000m³ in May 2023.

For January to May 2024, timber imports were about 4% down compared to the same period in 2023.

Timber volumes in May 2024 were 7% lower than in May 2023, after a 5% increase in April 2024 compared to April 2023.

Softwood imports fell by 4%, but planed spruce imports (45% of softwood) grew by 3%, with increases from Sweden (+4%), Latvia (+17%), Ireland (+18%), and Norway (+104%).

Price cuts of 5% to 15% helped boost imports from Latvia, Ireland, and Norway, while Sweden saw growth without changing prices.

Hardwood imports from January to May 2024 were about 20,000m³ less than during the same period in 2023.

Tropical hardwood imports were nearly 3% lower in early 2024 compared to the same time in 2023, with declines from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Malaysia.

China now accounts for 70% of hardwood plywood imports, up 6% by May 2024, and overall hardwood plywood imports have risen by 3% this year.