Page 31 - FDMAsia SepOct 2024

FOCUS 29
www.fdmasia.com | FDM ASIA SEP/OCT 2024

Of total hardwood log imports, tropical log imports were It has been reported that German log prices declined
2.96 million cubic metres valued at US$772 million CIF, up in the first half of 2024 and this with the recent increases
0.3 percent in volume and 1.4 percent in value from the in freight rates and local transport costs it has become
same period of 2023 and accounted for 16 percent of the unprofitable to export.

national total log import volume, up one percentage points
over the same period of 2023. Rise in log imports from Australia
China’s log imports from Australia fell to zero in 2022 because
Sharp decline in log imports from EU of a ban on imports as the quarantine service in China
In the first half of 2024 China's log imports from European detected pests in log shipments. However, in the first half of
Union came to 2.418 million cubic metres valued at US$481 2023 China has resumed importing Australian timber.
million, down 47 percent in volume and 44% in value from China’s log imports from Australia in the first half of 2024
the same period of 2023 and it was this trend that impacted surged more than 400 percent to 330,000 cubic metres over
the decline in the total log imports. the same period of 2021 ranking 11th among the top suppliers.

China’s log imports from Germany, Poland and France as
the top three suppliers among the European Union, fell 64 Slight rise in tropical log imports
percent, 29 percent and 27 percent to 842,000 cubic metres, China’s tropical log imports rose 0.3 percent to 2.958 million
477,000 cubic metres and 369,000 cubic metres respectively cubic metres in the first half of 2024. China imported tropical
in the first half of 2024. logs mainly from Papua New Guinea (36%), Solomon Islands
In terms of species the largest decline was large diameter (31%), the Republic of Congo (6%) and Cameroon (6%). Just
fir and spruce logs (minimum section size 15 cm and above), four countries supplied nearly 80 percent of China’s tropical

which fell by 63 percent to 1.28 million cubic metres in the log requirements in the first half of 2024.
first half of 2024. Fir and spruce imports from Germany, China’s tropical log imports from PNG, the Republic of
Poland and France fell 73 percent, 46 percent and 40 percent Congo and Cameroon fell 14 percent, 28 percent and 21
respectively over the same period of 2023. percent respectively in the first half of 2024.
In contrast, China’s log imports from the other top
Germany out of top three suppliers for imported logs suppliers grew at different rates. China’s tropical log imports
China’s log imports from Germany fell 64% to 840,000 cubic from Bolivia surged in the first half of 2024.
metres in the first half of 2024. Germany has dropped out
of the top three suppliers of logs to China and was ranked

sixth in the first half of 2024.
China’s spruce and fir (44032300), Korean pine and Scots
pine (44032110), Douglas fir (44032520) log imports from www.remarkablefurniture.com.au
Germany reduced 73 percent, 61 percent and 26 percent
respectively.
Furthermore, the average CIF prices for spruce and fir,
Korean pine, Scots pine and Douglas fir logs fell 16 percent,

15 percent and one percent to US$137, US$132 and US$177
per cubic metre respectively.