Global lumber markets: Nordic producers remain strong, Germany, Russia, and China face challenges

In 2022, the Nordic countries remained major producers and exporters of softwood lumber, with Sweden being the largest exporter in Europe, while Finland ranked third. However, the German softwood lumber market saw a decline in demand, and Russian sawmills faced significant losses due to the closing of ports following the country's invasion of Ukraine. China also experienced a decrease in softwood lumber imports, with supply sources shifting towards European suppliers. The Nordic countries produced a record-high amount of softwood lumber in 2021. In the following years, production fell slightly at about 2% due to weakening European wood ...