US South set to surpass Canada in lumber production

The U.S. South is poised to overtake Canada’s historic dominance in North American lumber production as decades of trade restrictions take their toll. The region is expected to surpass Canada in softwood lumber capacity for the first time since at least 1970. The shift reflects how a key Canadian resource sector has declined due to U.S. duties and other challenges, including wildfires, land-use regulation and insect infestations. The U.S. increased import duties on Canadian softwood lumber by nearly 81% in August, the latest development in a four-decade trade dispute. Analysts expect the ...