Red oak shipments from the US rose by 21.4% in January compared with a year ago, making the species the most popular wood for export, according to the industry newsletter the Hardwood Review Export.
The majority of red oak was exported to Canada, followed by Mexico, China, Taiwan and Saudi Arabia.
Log exports remain strong, especially walnut and cherry, but shipments to the European Union are poor by historical standards – 23% down in January compared with last year.
However, North American hardwood exporters have reported difficult trading conditions during the past month, with the Iraq war and slow economies in most major markets as the suggested causes.
