China’s 2016 sawn timber imports totalled 32.15 million m3, valued at US$8.14bn – a year-on-year increase of 21% in volume and 8% in value.
The average price for China’s imported sawn timber in 2016 was US$253 per m3, down 10% on 2015.
Of total sawn timber imports, sawn softwood import volumes rose 22% to 17.82 million m3, accounting for 55% of the national total. The average price for imported sawn softwood in 2016 was US$176 per m3, down 10% year-on-year.
Sawn hardwood imports grew 20% to 14.33 million m3. The average price for imported sawn hardwoods in 2016 was US$349 per m3, down 10% year-on-year.
Of total sawn hardwood imports, imports of sawn timber from tropical countries were 5.74 million m3 valued at US$2.118bn, up 20% in volume and 3% in value and accounted for 18% of the national total.
The average price for sawn timber imported from tropical countries was US$369 per m3, a year-on-year decline of 15%.
