Despite the ongoing pandemic and the lockdowns which have slowed trade in many European countries, EU softwood lumber exports to China managed to rise by almost 30% in volume in the January-April 2020.
The European Union countries sent 1.45 million m3 of softwood lumber to China, during the first four months, as compared to the 1.13 million m3 m3 that they’ve sent in the same period of 2019.
The biggest exporter was still Finland, although its shipments decreased by -18% as compared to January-April 2019.
Sweden and Germany topped the highest growths in exports to China. Swedish exports rose by 48%, up to only 340 thousand m3.
The German softwood lumber exports to China had a great 2020 start, and increased by 44%, up to 272 thousand m3. Belgium’s deliveries, though at a lower volume, hiked by 264%, up to 90 thousand m3.
Table 1:
| EU softwood lumber exported to China from… (in cubic meters) |
|
|
|
| Exporting Country |
Jan. Apr. 2019 |
Jan.-Apr. 2020 |
Change in % |
|
|
1,131,256 |
1,453,897 |
29 % |
|
|
458,289 |
377,542 |
-18 % |
|
|
229,173 |
340,172 |
48 % |
|
|
189,221 |
272,711 |
44 % |
|
|
24,910 |
90,599 |
264 % |
|
|
79,218 |
82,519 |
4 % |
|
|
150,445 |
290,354 |
93 % |
|
|
278 |
175 |
-37 % |
Table 2:
| EU softwood lumber exported to China from… (in cubic meters) |
|
|
|
| Exporting Country |
April 2019 |
April 2020 |
Change in % |
|
|
315,031 |
398,801 |
27 % |
|
|
127,527 |
99,103 |
-22 % |
|
|
45,719 |
87,531 |
91 % |
|
|
65,799 |
80,332 |
22 % |
|
|
19,876 |
22,075 |
11 % |
|
|
7,934 |
21,464 |
171 % |
|
|
48,176 |
88,296 |
83 % |
|
|
131 |
– |
-100 % |
