The European sawmills exported 3.2 million cubic meters of sawn and planed lumber to China from January to November 2017, 55% more than in the corresponding period of 2016. In particular, Northern European sawmills deliveries to China performed very well last year.
Exports of softwood lumber from Sweden and Finland reached 2.5 million cubic meters, a share of 76% of all EU deliveries to China. Finnish exports increased by 72% as compared to January-November 2016 and reached a total volume of 1.6 million m3, while Swedish exports totaled 846 thousand cubic meters, a 24% rise as compared to the same period of 2016.
Notably, Spanish exports increased from an almost insignificant volume in 2016, up to 215 thousand cubic meters in January-November 2017. German softwood lumber deliveries to China dropped by 19%, down to 138 thousand m3, while Austrian deliveries increased by 65%, though at a much lower volume as compared to the above-mentioned countries.
EU deliveries of sawn and planed lumber to China
Exporting Country | 2016 | 2017 | Change in % |
EUROPEAN Union | 2,093,219 | 3,247,086 | 55 % |
Finland | 963,047 | 1,652,634 | 72 % |
Sweden | 681,751 | 846,955 | 24 % |
Spain | 25,177 | 215,567 | 756 % |
Germany | 171,709 | 138,484 | -19 % |
Austria | 55,607 | 91,607 | 65 % |
Others | 195,928 | 301,839 | 54 % |
TOTAL | 2,093,296 | 3,247,880 | 55 % |
The statistics are based on the numbers published by Eurostat. The product softwood lumber consists of following HS Codes: 440710,440711,440712,440719.