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In 2021, logistical problems on the supply side in tropical countries during the COVID pandemic seemed to accelerate the long term trend away from tropical timber products in the EU27 market.<\/p>\n
The share of tropical products in the total value of EU27 imports of wood and wood furniture fell from 20% in 2020 to just 17% in 2021. However, last year the situation was transformed as tropical products recorded the largest increase in share for at least the last 15 years, rebounding to 21% of the total value of EU27 imports of wood products and wooden furniture.<\/p>\n
The recovery in the value and share of tropical wood products trade with the EU in 2022 was driven both by normalisation of supply chains and falling freight rates after the severe disruption of pandemic, together with a sharp fall in available supply of wood products from Russia and Belarus during the year.<\/p>\n
In 2021, the EU27 imported wood and wooden furniture with a total value of US$4.95 billion from Russia and Belarus, nearly one quarter of total import value of these products. However, this fell to just US$2.24 billion in 2022.<\/p>\n
The EU first imposed trade sanctions on Belarus timber products on 2 March 2022. These were extended to Russian timber products on 8 April 2022. On 10 March 2022, Russia\u2019s Industry and Trade Ministry announced a ban on all wood and timber-related exports to \"unfriendly countries\", including the EU, UK and US.<\/p>\n
Both leading certification organisations, the PEFC and FSC, announced in March 2022 that all timber originating from Russia and Belarus would be categorised as \u2018conflict timber\u2019 (i.e. from a controversial source) and not eligible to be sold and promoted as PEFC- or FSC-certified. This had a significant impact on many European companies which had become heavily dependent on Russia and Belarus for their supplies of certified wood.<\/p>\n
Of total FSC global forest area of 237 million hectares at the start of last year, 63 million hectares (27%) was in Russia and 15 million hectares (6%) in Belarus.<\/p>\n
Of PEFC certified area worldwide of 328 million hectares at the start of last year, 32 million hectares (10%) was in Russia and 9 million hectares (3%) in Belarus.<\/p>\n
At the start of 2023, PEFC reported no certified forest in either Russia or Belarus.<\/p>\n
FSC is currently reporting zero certified forest area in Belarus but 39.5 million hectares in Russia despite the \u2018conflict timber\u2019 categorisation.<\/p>\n
EU27 trade data indicates that these measures took time to take effect, with timber products continuing to be imported in significant volumes from both Russia and Belarus until July 2022. However EU27 imports from both countries fell to close to zero in the last five months of the year.<\/p>\n
In value terms, tropical products were significant beneficiaries of the sharp fall in EU27 imports of wood products from Russia and Belarus during 2022.<\/p>\n
Whereas total EU27 imports of wood and wood furniture fell 4% from US$21.2 billion in 2021 to US$20.4 billion in 2022, imports of tropical products increased 18% from US$3.7 billion to US$4.4 billion during the same period. EU27 import value of wood and wood furniture from<\/p>\n
China increased only 4% to US$6.0 billion in 2022, although this did build on a massive 42% gain the previous year. Import value from Ukraine also increased by 9% to US$1.9 billion in 2022, despite the serious disruption due to the war, following a 55% gain the previous year.<\/p>\n
Other significant beneficiaries were Turkey, for which EU27 import value increased 32% to US$890 million last year, and non-tropical products from Brazil which recorded a 54% increase to US$ 690 million in 2022.<\/p>\n
EU27 import value from the tropics increased across all wood product groups last year including furniture (+10% to US$1.73 billion), sawnwood (+22% to US$904 million), mouldings\/decking (+21% to US$396 million), joinery (+27% to US$286 million), plywood (+52% to US$254 million), veneer (+13% to US$234 million), marquetry\/ornaments (+55% to US$127 million), flooring (+45% to US$89 million), and logs (+10% to US$65 million).<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In 2021, logistical problems on the supply side in tropical countries during the COVID pandemic seemed to accelerate the long term trend away from tropical timber products in the EU27 market. The share of tropical products in the total value … Continue reading