UK timber import patterns witness considerable shift in 2022

Last year witnessed a considerable shift in timber trading patterns, with the Republic of Ireland (ROI), Latvia, and China supplying significant volumes to the UK. UK softwood imports from the ROI increased by 48% in 2022, overtaking supplies from both Germany and Russia. This comes despite low overall softwood volumes, with imports in October 2022 down 28% from 2021. Hardwood import patterns also varied, with Latvia overtaking the USA as the leading country of supply. Overall hardwood imports increased by 15% in 2022, with 22% provided by Latvia and 16% by the USA. China has cemented ...