China’s Log Imports Rise 6.2% Year-Over-Year in July

China imported a combined 4.705 million m³ of logs and sawn timber in July, up 1.1% year-over-year but down 7.5% from June, Global Wood and Mucaizhijia reported. Import value rose 8.6% year-over-year to $1.05 billion.

Log imports accounted for 56.3% of the total and rose 6.2% year-over-year to 2.651 million m³, while falling 15.8% from June. Sawn timber imports declined 4.8% year-over-year to 2.054 million m³ but increased 6% from June, marking a second consecutive monthly increase. Sawn timber import value rose 2.4% year-over-year to $595 million, while the average price increased 7.5%.

China’s top 10 timber suppliers accounted for about 95% of imports. New Zealand remained the largest supplier, with shipments rising 10.3% year-over-year to 1.643 million m³, while imports from Russia fell 7.6% to 1.033 million m³. Imports from the US jumped 48.4% to 139,000 m³ from 94,000 m³ a year earlier.

Germany’s shipments fell 38.9% year-over-year, while imports from France were nearly unchanged, up 0.3%. Thailand and Japan posted declines of 4% and 2.2%, respectively.

China’s exports of timber and timber products declined 1.3% year-over-year to 1.44 million metric tons in July. Year-to-date through July, exports were up 10.8% from the same period a year earlier.