Lumber prices in North America, Asia and Europe have been pushed to their highest levels for 10 months, according to a new report from Wood Resource Quarterly.
The report says the upward trend in consumption witnessed in 2010 (an 18% growth) had continued so far into 2011, with total volumes consumed in the first quarter being more than 20% higher than a year ago.
Shipments to China continue to increase, with the country’s timber imports 32% higher in the first two months of 2011 compared to a year ago.
In the US, souther yellow pine prices grew 24% in March compared to last summer, with similar trends seen with Douglas fir in the western US and for spruce-pine-fir in Western Canada.
Wood Resource Quarterly predicts lumber prices will continue to go up due to Chinese demand, Japanese rebuilding following the earthquake and improvements in the US housing market.
