Russia’s place in the new ranking of the world’s leading countries in timber export and import.

The majority of the world’s forests are concentrated in Russia (20%), Brazil (12%), Canada (9%), the USA (8%) and China (5%). Forest zones are distributed unevenly across the planet, so we see countries with an excess of forests that are ready to export timber, and countries where timber is literally worth its weight in gold. The latter are ready to pay well for timber and import it on a huge scale. Where there is demand, there will always be supply. The experts of the GeoBuro company found out who exactly sells and buys timber on a global scale, who is in the lead, and in what volumes.

Our expert, the founder of the “GeoBuro” company, Andrey Kichaev, will provide complete information on the world market for round timber, sawn timber and wood products.
The United Nations Statistics Division studied data from 103 countries to compile a report on the world export of timber and timber products. These are fuel wood, sawn timber, chipboard and fibreboard (particleboard and fibreboard), plywood, wooden containers.

World timber exports are estimated at $150 billion. Who are the leaders in terms of value?
Canada — $19.7 billion.
China — $18.3 billion.
Germany — $13.1 billion.
USA — $10.4 billion.
Russia — $9.2 billion.
Austria — $6.8 billion.
Sweden — $6.1 billion.
Poland — $5.7 billion.
Brazil — $4.7 billion.
Finland — $4.3 billion.
Latvia — $3.9 billion.
New Zealand — $3.3 billion.

Looking at individual report categories, we can see new leaders:
Sawn timber exports — Canada ($10.8 billion).
Plywood exports — China ($5.6 billion).
Particleboard exports — Canada ($3.4 billion).
Rough timber exports — New Zealand ($2.3 billion).
Energy wood exports — United States ($1.9 billion).
Lumber exports — Brazil ($0.96 billion).

Based on FAOSTAT (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations) data, we can present the world’s largest timber exporters. The rankings were compiled taking into account the percentage share of each country in world exports for each category. Fuelwood and firewood (except pellets):

  • -Fuel wood and firewood (except pellets):
  • Ukraine.
  • Eswatini.
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina.
  • Croatia.
  • France.
  • Slovenia.
  • USA.
  • -Roundwood:
  • New Zealand.
  • Russia.
  • Czech Republic.
  • Germany.
  • USA.
  • Canada.
  • Australia.
  • Poland.
  • France.
  • Papua New Guinea.
  • Norway.
  • Wood pellets:
  • USA.
  • Vietnam.
  • Canada.
  • Russia.
  • Latvia.
  • Estonia.
  • Denmark.
  • Austria.
  • Malaysia.
  • Germany.
  • Portugal.
  • Sawn timber:
  • Russia.
  • Canada.
  • Sweden.
  • Germany.
  • Finland.
  • Austria.
  • USA.
  • Belarus.
  • Thailand.
  • Wood-based panels:
  • China.
  • Canada.
  • Russia.
  • Germany.
  • Thailand.
  • Brazil.
  • Malaysia.
  • Indonesia.
  • Poland.
  • Belarus.
  • France.
  • Austria.
  • Belgium.
  • Romania.
  • Veneer:
  • Vietnam.
  • Russia.
  • Canada.
  • China.
  • USA.
  • Gabon.
  • New Zealand.
  • Paper pulp:
  • Brazil.
  • Canada.
  • USA.
  • Chile.
  • Indonesia.
  • Finland.
  • Sweden.
  • Uruguay.
  • Russia.
  • Paper and paperboard:
  • Germany.
  • USA.
  • Finland.
  • Sweden.
  • Canada.
  • China.
  • Indonesia.
  • Austria.
  • France.
  • Belgium.
  • Italy.
  • Russia.
  • South Korea.
  • Recovered paper:
  • USA.
  • UK.
  • Japan.
  • France.
  • Netherlands.
  • Germany.
  • Italy.
  • Canada.
  • Belgium.
AppleMark

According to the UN FAO and the Russian State Customs Service, the total volume of global roundwood supplies exceeds 143 million cubic meters.

  • -Rough wood species and volume in global exports (million cubic meters):
  • Coniferous wood – 104.5
  • Deciduous wood – 25.4
  • Tropical deciduous wood – 13.3

The leaders in coniferous wood exports, the top 10 main exporters include the following countries:
New Zealand (22.7 million cubic meters). The Polynesian state is the absolute leader in global roundwood supplies. It is important to add that the country is not just a leader, but is increasing its export turnover every year: thus, over the past five years, the volume of supplies has grown by 42%. The overwhelming share of exported wood is coniferous (radiata pine). Importers are Australia and Southeast Asia.
Czech Republic (18.2 million cubic meters). According to reports, the country has increased its roundwood exports by 3.4 times over the past five years. Coniferous trees, spruce and pine are exported. The importer is the European Union.
Russia (16.3 million cubic meters). Coniferous and deciduous wood is exported. In terms of international sales of the latter, Russia is the absolute leader on a global scale. The peak of timber exports occurred in 2009 – 50.9 million cubic meters. Since then, timber exports have been declining in parallel with the increase in sawn timber exports. However, roundwood brings the country at least $1 billion in revenue annually. Importers are China and Finland (90%).
Germany (11.3 million cubic meters). Over the past five years, exports have increased threefold. Coniferous wood accounts for 90% of the volume. The main importer is China.
USA (9.4 million cubic meters). It is estimated that ¾ of American timber exports are softwood. The country ranks third in the world in terms of hardwood exports. According to the trend of recent years, the United States has been consistently abandoning the export of roundwood in favor of products of the first and second stages. Having reached a peak in 2013, roundwood exports have decreased by 1.5 times to date. Importers are Canada, China, and Japan.
Canada (7.3 million cubic meters). The country is quite stable in terms of roundwood exports. Softwoods, pine, and spruce are exported. Importers are China and Japan.
Poland (4.9 million cubic meters). Softwoods make up 80% of Polish roundwood exports. Over the past five years, supplies have doubled.
France (3.1 million cubic meters). The country ranks second in hardwood exports, behind Russia and ahead of the United States. Valuable oak species are exported. Coniferous timber exports account for 40% of the total volumes — they have gradually decreased by half in recent years.
Norway (3.9 million cubic meters). The country mainly exports coniferous roundwood. It has been increasing export volumes since 2011 — the overall growth has been fourfold.
Uruguay (3.4 million cubic meters). Coniferous timber accounts for the majority of exports. The volume of deliveries increases every year. The main importer is China.

  • -The leaders in tropical hardwood, the top 2 can be distinguished:
  • Papua New Guinea (2.5 million cubic meters).
  • Brazil (2.1 million cubic meters).
  • The world’s leading importers of “roundwood”, buyers are mainly interested in coniferous roundwood (in cubic meters).
  • China – 63.7 million.
  • As we can see, China accounts for 45% of “roundwood” purchases.
  • Austria – 10.9 million.
  • Sweden – 6.3 million.
  • Finland – 6.3 million.
  • Germany – 6.1 million.
  • Belgium – 5.7 million.
  • India – 4.8 million.
  • Canada – 4.4 million.
  • South Korea – 3.3 million.
  • Italy – 3.1 million.

-The largest exporters of sawn timber in the world, the leaders in terms of scale are:

  • Russia (20%). Russia banned the export of roundwood in 2020.
  • Canada (19%).
  • Sweden (8%).
  • Germany (6%).
  • Finland (6%).
  • USA (5%).
  • Austria (4%).
  • Thailand (3%).
  • -The largest importers of sawn timber in the world, leading by scale:
  • China (57%).
  • Uzbekistan (7%).
  • Singapore (6%).

The world leaders in the export of wood products, leading in the export of wood products:
Canada (31 billion kg). Every year, the external sale of forest products brings the country $17.1 billion. Here, 47% of exports are three groups of products: northern bleached softwood converted into kraft pulp and pulp for newsprint, as well as softwood sawn timber. The resulting sawn timber, pulp and paper are sent to the neighboring United States, as well as China and Japan.
USA (19.5 billion kg). The largest value in this export group is sawn timber and logs. The European Union sets the demand for wood pellets. Overall, the United States exports wood products worth $9.7 billion. The main buyers are China, Mexico, and Canada.
Sweden (18.5 billion kg). It is not surprising that the country is among the top three leaders – 55% of its territory is covered by forests, and commercially attractive species at that. Sweden produces 4% of the world’s cardboard and paper. Their net export brings the country $10.6 billion.
Finland (16 billion kg). Calculations show that 20% of the country’s export revenues come from the forestry and woodworking industry. Exports of wood products are 11 billion euros, and the export of forest products in general is 20.7 billion euros. High-quality Finnish furniture is in particular global demand.
Germany (14.5 billion kg). This country is one of the richest in forest resources in Europe. Germany exports up to 30% of all harvested lumber to foreign markets. This brings annual sales of 170 billion euros. The industry employs 150,000 different-sized logging enterprises with a total of 1.2 million workers.
Russia (14 billion kg). Russian wood products are in particular demand in Asian countries. The undisputed leader among them is China. The Russian Federation mainly exports processed wood products in the form of paper, cellulose, and sawn timber to China.
Brazil (11 billion kg), Austria (7 billion kg), and Chile (6 billion kg) are also among the leading countries in the export of wood products. They supply sawn timber, logs, chips, plywood, cellulose, paper, and laminated wood.

It is necessary to separately mention the trend of the last two years, when Russia increased furniture production by 40% and reached the level of 80% of furniture produced in Russia and a reduction in imports from Italy, Germany, Sweden and China.

ANNOUNCEMENT:
The experts of the company “Geoburo”, who prepared this article, are preparing another article, which shows serious shifts in timber consumption. The new article will show the trends that have arisen in the sales volumes of the Russian timber industry. The article will focus on the reorientation of sales markets from Finland, Scandinavia, the Baltics, and the European Union, to the countries of the Far East – China, Korea and India. And also the development of a new direction for Russia – trade in timber and timber products with Arab countries, Central Asian countries, Turkey, Iran.

The article was prepared by the expert of the “Geoburo” company, Andrey Kichaev.

09.08.2024.

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