Global sawlog prices jumped almost 8% in the third quarter of 2009, the highest quarter-to-quarter jump in the 15-year history of the Global Sawlog Price Index (GSPI).
The rise was attributed to improved lumber markets in the US and Europe, according to the Wood Resource Quarterly, with the Index reaching just over US$73/m³.
Tighter log supply and improved operating rates at many sawmills in the US and Europe has contributed to the rise, with the US, Nordic countries, Central Europe, the Baltic states and Russia experiencing the largest price increases over the past six months.
The 7.6% increase from the previous quarter was down to the weakened dollar against most currencies, but there were also higher log prices in Europe in the local currencies.
Despite the recent increase in the GSPI, it is still 15% lower than a year ago and 20.3% below the all-time high in the fourth quarter of 2007.
