EU27 tropical sawnwood imports fall 16%

In quantity terms, EU27 imports of tropical sawnwood declined 16% to 726,200 m³ in the first eleven months of 2020. Imports fell sharply from all major supply countries; down 18% from Cameroon to 257,700 m³, 13% from Brazil to 116,000 m³, 13% from Gabon to 94,700 m³, 13% from Malaysia to 85,100 m³, 18% from Congo to 45,600 m³, 28% from Côte d’Ivoire to 23,300 m³, and 22% from Ghana to 17,700 m³.

However Ecuador bucked the downward trend, with EU27 imports of sawnwood from the country rising 10% to 23,900 m³, much destined for Denmark and driven by booming demand for balsa for wind turbines. Imports of sawnwood from Indonesia also increased slightly, by 14% to 8,130 m³, but this follows a 66% reduction in 2018.