In the first half of 2025, the EU's total import volume of roundwood increased by only 1.3% year-on-year. However, driven by a 15% rise in average prices, the import value grew by 16%, reaching $384 million.
Both the import volume and value of softwood roundwood showed an upward trend. Specifically, the total import volume reached 2.58 million cubic meters, a year-on-year increase of 5.2%, while the import value reached $292.3 million, up 33% year-on-year. Softwood roundwood accounted for 83% of the EU's total roundwood imports, with the overall import volume of all roundwood species reaching 3.11 million cubic meters.
Breaking down the softwood imports, the import volume of pine roundwood increased by 12.2% to 1.2316 million cubic meters, with average prices rising by 20%. The import volume of spruce and fir roundwood remained largely flat at 1.3031 million cubic meters, down 0.5% year-on-year, but a 33% price increase drove the import value up by 32% to $167.4 million.
Regarding supply sources, Norway and Brazil were the primary sources of roundwood for the EU. As the largest supplier, Norway's exports to the EU reached 2.5 million cubic meters in the first half of the year, accounting for 80.3% of the EU's total imports. This export volume increased by 9.6% year-on-year, with average prices rising by 27%. Brazil, as the second-largest supplier, saw its export volume decline by 25% year-on-year to 305,000 cubic meters. The situation for other countries supplying the EU is as follows:
- Switzerland ranked third with 191,400 cubic meters, a year-on-year decrease of 12%;
- The United States supplied relatively little timber to the EU, with only 25,500 cubic meters, a 4% year-on-year increase, but prices fell by 5%;
- Ireland's export volume was only 6,420 cubic meters, but it saw a significant increase of 112%;
- Bosnia and Herzegovina grew by 54% to 5,540 cubic meters.
It is worth noting that as Malaysia entered the EU market, its export volume grew from almost zero to 4,940 cubic meters in the first half of the year.
In terms of wood species, the import volume of hardwood roundwood decreased by 22% year-on-year to 465,200 cubic meters, while the import value fell by 18% to $81.6 million. Among these, eucalyptus was the most imported hardwood species, accounting for 57% (approximately 264,000 cubic meters), though its import volume decreased by 38% year-on-year. Other species include:
- Birch import volume increased by 74% to 69,400 cubic meters, with import value up 89% to $5.9 million;
- Beech import volume grew by 12% to 27,100 cubic meters;
- White oak import volume fell by 11% to 5,480 cubic meters but remained the highest-priced hardwood roundwood at $1,166 per cubic meter.
The import volume of tropical roundwood surged by 597% year-on-year to 53,400 cubic meters, primarily due to teak imports growing from almost zero to 41,700 cubic meters. Sapele imports also increased by 34% to 6,840 cubic meters, with average prices rising by 6%. In contrast, okoume roundwood fell by 33% to 2,690 cubic meters, with unit prices down 7%.
Previously, Russia was the largest timber supplier to the EU, holding about 50% of the market share. However, following the EU's sanctions on Russian timber and wood products in 2022, the EU's roundwood import volume dropped from 5.07 million cubic meters in the first half of 2021 to 3.11 million cubic meters in the first half of 2025, a decrease of approximately 38.6%.
During the same period, Norway's export volume increased by 33%, from 1.89 million cubic meters to 2.5 million cubic meters, with its market share rising from 37.2% to 80.3%. The UK's export volume grew from 7,500 cubic meters to 50,600 cubic meters, while new suppliers such as Ireland, Malaysia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina also entered the EU market with small export volumes.
