China’s imports of softwood logs are mainly from Russia, New Zealand, the US, Canada, Australia, Ukraine and European countries. The combined imports from these countries accounted for over 90% of all softwood log imports in 2013.
China’s softwood log imports in 2013 from the listed countries increased except for Russia where imports fell 9% to 9.29 million cubic metres yea- on-year.
China’s softwood log imports from New Zealand, the largest supplier in 2013, increased by nearly 3 million cubic metres to 11.48 million cubic metres. In 2013, for the first time, imports from New Zealand exceeded those from Russia.
In terms of unit log price from the main source countries, in 2013 prices for US logs fell to an average $203 per cubic metre. However, imports from Canada, Russia and New Zealand were all more expensive at $196, $133 and $147 per cubic metre respectively.
The main species of imported softwood logs were scots pine, spruce and fir, radiata pine and larch and imports of these species account for 77% of the total softwood log imports.
Before 2007, scots pine was the main species imported but between 2007 to 2013 imports of radiata pine rose sharply and now account for about 37% of all softwood log imports.
