In 2022, the rate of decline in Russian sawn timber exports significantly exceeded the dynamics of output reduction

The output of sawn timber in Russia predictably declined in 2022. If relying on the official data of Rosstat (the Federal State Statistics Service), the decrease was of 11%. Output figures began to slide down to negative values starting from March 2022. Already by the end of 2022, the rate of decline reached double digits of 18–20% YoY.

The strongest decline was registered in the Northwestern Federal District: -19% YoY. The capacity utilization at sawmills in 2022 was of 71%-73%, which is 3-7 p.p. lower than in 2020 and 2021. WhatWood’s preliminary estimates suggest that the output of sawn softwood and hardwood in 2022 was 38–39 million m³ (the figure was 42 million m³ in 2021).

It is worth noting that the pace of decline in sawn timber exports registered in 2022 significantly exceeded the rate of output reduction. According to preliminary estimates of WhatWood, exports decreased by 20% YoY and totaled 23.7 million m³ in 2022. Starting from H2 2022, exports of sawn timber from Russia to Europe stopped. China, the greatest hope of Russian exporters, reduced the import of sawn softwood from all countries, including from Russia, by 13-15% YoY (which is -2–2.3 million m³); thus, it totaled 17 million m³ in 2022.

Read more Russian Timber Journal 12-2022.