In Austria, Styria and Carinthia were the hardest hit by the thunderstorms in August. According to the Austrian Chamber of Agriculture, the additional high incidence of beetle wood in Carinthia and East Tyrol also contributes to the fact that new contracts are only made with caution. The continued subdued demand in the Austrian construction sector means that the Austrian sawmill industry, after some extended summer shutdowns, are only continuing their cuts at a reduced level.  The amount of softwood sawlogs required for this is mostly covered by existing contracts. The prices were thus lowered again. The ...