Despite the coronavirus pandemic which first hit China and than spread all over the world, European softwood lumber exports to China managed to rise by almost 30% in volume in the first quarter of 2020. However, the first signs of the corona crisis impact on exports can be signaled in March, when exports to China were flat as compared to the same month of 2019.
The European Union countries sent 1.05 million m3 of softwood lumber to China, during the first quarter, as compared to the 816 thousand m3 that they’ve sent in the first three months of 2019.
The biggest exporter was still Finland, although its shipments decreased by -16% as compared to January-March 2019.
Sweden and Germany topped the highest growths in exports to China. Swedish exports rose by 59%, up to only 259 thousand m3.The German softwood lumber exports to China had a great 2019 start, and increased by 29%, up to 185 thousand m3. Belgium’s deliveries, though at a lower volume, hiked by 311%, up to 69 thousand m3.
| Softwood lumber exported to China from… (in m3 ) |
Q1/2019 |
Q1/2020 |
Change in % |
|
|
816,225 |
1,055,096 |
29 % |
|
|
330,762 |
278,439 |
-16 % |
|
|
163,374 |
259,840 |
59 % |
|
|
143,502 |
185,180 |
29 % |
|
|
16,846 |
69,264 |
311 % |
|
|
59,342 |
60,444 |
2 % |
|
|
102,399 |
201,929 |
97 % |
|
|
147 |
175 |
19 % |
|
|
147 |
175 |
19 % |
| TOTAL |
816,372 |
1,055,271 |
29 % |
| Softwood lumber exported to China from… (in cbm ) |
03/2019 |
03/2020 |
Change in % |
|
|
284,787 |
283,738 |
0 % |
|
|
118,198 |
83,652 |
-29 % |
|
|
46,492 |
58,809 |
26 % |
|
|
49,212 |
57,127 |
16 % |
|
|
19,933 |
20,882 |
5 % |
|
|
8,211 |
15,988 |
95 % |
|
|
42,741 |
47,280 |
11 % |
|
|
49 |
– |
-100 % |
| TOTAL |
284,836 |
283,738 |
0 % |
| Softwood lumber exported to China from… (in EUR ) |
Q1/2019 |
Q1/2020 |
Change in % |
|
|
141,513,943 |
149,568,532 |
6 % |
|
|
60,177,392 |
41,794,502 |
-31 % |
|
|
30,381,468 |
39,132,962 |
29 % |
|
|
21,351,424 |
25,926,934 |
21 % |
|
|
9,708,716 |
9,140,694 |
-6 % |
|
|
4,013,977 |
6,465,437 |
61 % |
|
|
15,880,966 |
27,108,003 |
71 % |
|
|
37,954 |
61,194 |
61 % |
|
|
37,954 |
61,194 |
61 % |
| TOTAL |
141,551,897 |
149,629,726 |
6 % |
The statistics are based on the numbers published by Eurostat. The product Softwood lumber consists of following HS Codes: 440710,440711,440712,440719.
