After a 9% increase in 2017, wood pellets imported by Italy showed a much more consistent trend growth in 2018. An increase of 27% from Jan.-Dec. 2018 proves that Italy’s demand for pellets is still high as manifested in the last 7-8 years.
In quantity, the imports jumped to over 2 million tonnes in Jan.-Dec. 2018 (Jan.-Dec. 2017: 1.6 million tons). At the same time, in value, the increase was as well of 27% (EUR 368 million in Jan.-Dec. 2018).
Austria remains the main source of imports: +56%; from 425 thousand tons in Jan.-Dec. 2017, to 663 thousand tons in Jan.-Dec. 2018. Imports from Germany grew 66% (up to 174 thousand tons) and those from Slovenia by 5%.