China\u2019s softwood lumber imports continued to contract in the opening months of 2026, with Chinese customs data and domestic industry sources pointing to further weakening demand linked to the country\u2019s subdued construction sector.<\/p>\n
Total lumber imports reached approximately 3.1 million m\u00b3 in January\u2013February 2026<\/strong>, down 12.7% year-on-year<\/strong>, according to data compiled from China Customs and reported by local market platforms.<\/p>\n Softwood lumber, which accounts for the majority of China\u2019s lumber imports, recorded an even sharper decline. In February alone, softwood imports were estimated at around 0.8 million m\u00b3<\/strong>, representing a year-on-year drop of nearly 30%<\/strong>, based on Chinese industry reports citing customs data.<\/p>\n The figures confirm that the downward trend observed throughout 2025 has carried into the new year. China imported about 14.6 million m\u00b3 of softwood lumber in 2025<\/strong>, a decline of roughly 12% compared to 2024<\/strong>, marking the third consecutive annual decrease.<\/p>\n Moreover, the current downturn reflects a much longer-term contraction. China\u2019s softwood lumber imports are now roughly half of their 2019 peak level<\/strong>, when demand was supported by a strong housing market and high levels of construction activity.<\/p>\n Early 2026 figures underline how far the market has retreated. Imports in the first two months of the year are among the lowest levels recorded in the past decade<\/strong>, highlighting the depth of the slowdown compared with previous years when monthly volumes were consistently higher.<\/p>\n Market participants in China describe the current situation as a continuation of a \u201cshrinking import pattern,\u201d with demand remaining weak following the Lunar New Year period. Activity in the construction sector\u2014traditionally the main driver of softwood consumption\u2014has yet to show signs of a meaningful recovery.<\/p>\n Combined imports of logs and lumber also declined in early 2026, falling 11.2% year-on-year to around 7.5 million m\u00b3 in January\u2013February<\/strong>, reinforcing the broader slowdown across the wood raw materials market.<\/p>\n Russia is expected to maintain its dominant position as China\u2019s primary supplier of softwood lumber, supported by competitive pricing and stable logistics, while shipments from other regions remain under pressure.<\/p>\n With no clear rebound in construction activity, the outlook for the first half of 2026 suggests that import volumes will remain subdued, with the risk of further declines if domestic demand fails to recover.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":98311,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5204],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-98310","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n