Russia now accounts for 63% of all softwood lumber imports entering China’s port system – with European imports weakening amid a shortage in biomass. This year alone, Russia and Belarus have collectively accounted for 3 million cubic metres (or 70% of total imports), with Russia supplying 2.71 million and Belarus 269,000 cubic metres (a 38% increase).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today, more than 90% of lumber produced by Russia now enters China, and of the lumber that doesn’t, much still filters into the Chinese sphere of influence. Now, new data produced by China Customs reveals that imports into the world’s largest consumer market have been in a “constant state of decline since August 2023,” with total imports down 1.8% (to 4.34 million cubic metres) for the first quarter of 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wood Central understands that this, by extension, is a direct result of a total slowdown in lumber production from Europe’s leading timber producers, including Finland (down 25% to 225,000 cubic metres for the first quarter), Germany (down 38% to 179,000), and Sweden (down 42% to 185,000).<\/p>\n\n\n\n