The volume of logs and pulpwood purchased from non-industrial private forests in 2019 was almost one third lower than in the peak year of 2018 in the forest sector. In real terms, stumpage prices of logs decreased by eight per cent and those of pulpwood by one per cent.
The economic downturn and the decrease in the production volumes of forest industry products have reduced roundwood demand and prices since 2018. Prices of softwood logs have decreased the most.
According to the wood trade statistics of the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), the average price paid for pine logs purchased from non-industrial private forests in standing sales was EUR 56.5 per cubic metre and the average price paid for spruce logs was EUR 59.9 per cubic metre in 2019. The average price was EUR 17.7 per cubic metre for pine pulpwood, EUR 19.5 for spruce pulpwood and EUR 16.8 for birch pulpwood.
“In real terms, the price in standing sales decreased by eight per cent for logs and by one per cent for pulpwood from the previous year,” says Jukka Torvelainen, senior statistician at Luke.
The average roadside price was EUR 32.4 per cubic metre for pine pulpwood, EUR 34.5 for spruce pulpwood and EUR 32.9 for birch pulpwood. These prices developed in a different direction than stumpage prices: in real terms, the roadside price of pulpwood increased by six per cent from the previous year. Pulpwood accounted for 73 per cent of all wood in delivery sales.
The volume of industrial wood purchased from non-industrial private forests was as much as 30 per cent lower than in the previous year. Log trade decreased by two fifths and pulpwood trade by one fifth.
“Typically, felling volumes in non-industrial private forests show less variation than wood trade volumes. This time as well, felling did not decrease at the same pace as wood trade. Based on Luke’s preliminary data, the felling volume of industrial wood in non-industrial private forests only decreased by nine per cent from the peak year of 2018,” Torvelainen says.
Of all assortments, pine pulpwood was purchased the most, accounting for 30 per cent of the total wood trade volume. The volume of birch pulpwood was slightly above that of spruce pulpwood, with both totalling clearly more than ten per cent. Logs accounted for two fifths, with the volume of spruce logs being much higher than that of pine logs.
Forest industries purchase the majority of wood from non-industrial private forests by means of standing sales. In 2019, standing sales accounted for five sixths of the total wood trade volume, while delivery sales made up one sixth.
In standing sales, 79 per cent of logs and 40 per cent of pulpwood came from regeneration felling stands. This means that almost three fifths of all standing sales originated from stands old enough for regeneration felling. The majority of pulpwood came from thinning sites.
The average price paid for energy wood purchased as raw material for forest chips was EUR 3.3 per cubic metre in standing sales and EUR 22.8 per cubic metre in delivery sales. Compared with the previous year, the average price decreased by 12 per cent in standing sales and increased by eight per cent in delivery sales in real terms.
“Pruned stems were the most valuable energy wood species, accounting for nearly half of the total energy wood trade recorded during the year. The average price paid for pruned stems was EUR 4.0 per cubic metre in standing sales and EUR 25.9 per cubic metre in delivery sales,” Torvelainen says.
Logging residues covered more than two fifths of the total trade volume. Their average price was EUR 2.9 per cubic metre in standing sales and EUR 17.3 per cubic metre in delivery sales.
Information for the wood trade statistics is collected from the largest wood buyers and from forest management associations. The information is not expanded to correspond to all wood trade in non-industrial private forests. The published wood volumes represent more than 90 per cent of all industrial wood and approximately half of all energy wood purchased from non-industrial private forests.
More information:
Jukka Torvelainen, senior statistician, Luke, tel. +358 29 532 5127, [email protected]
Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) promotes bioeconomy and sustainable use of natural resources. luke.fi/en
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