EU27 import volumes of tropical sawn wood were down 20% to 350,000m3 in the first half of 2024, according to the International Tropical Timber Organisation’s (ITTO) latest market bulletin.
The import value of the imports was US$322.5m in the January to June, 21% less than the same period in 2023.
ITTO said imports declined from nearly all leading supply countries during the period, including Cameroon (-15% to 132,100m3), Gabon (-31% to 50,800m3), Brazil (-22% to 45,000m3), Malaysia (-1% to 33,400m3), Republic of Congo (-30% to 33,100m3), Ghana (-34% to 7,600m3), Ivory Coast (-30% to 4,400m3), Suriname (-43% to 3,300m3) and the Central African Republic (-54% to 3,100m3).
Sawn timber imports from Ecuador were the exception at 11,000m3, up 57% compared to the same period in 2023.
The EU27 imported 63,300 tonnes of tropical mouldings/decking in the first six months of this year, 16% less than in the same period in 2023. The import value of this commodity was, ITTO says, down 24% to US$110.6m in the same period.
During the first six months, imports increased year-on-year from Peru (+4% to 6,900 tonnes) but fell from all other leading supply countries including Brazil (-21% to 22,400 tonnes), Indonesia (-4% to 19,200 tonnes), Gabon (-37% to 4,300 tonnes), Malaysia (-16% to 2,800 tonnes), and Bolivia (-28% to 2,500 tonnes).
The EU27 imported 20,000m3 of tropical logs with a total value of US$18.3m in the first six months of this year, respectively 63% and 65% less than in the same period last year.
The decline was driven mainly by an 91% reduction in imports from the Republic of Congo to 2,600m3. This follows the ban on exports of most logs from the country since January 1, 2023.
