Exports of Southern Pine lumber held steady in May, totaling just over 53 million board feet (MMbf), according to the latest reports from the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service.
This volume represents a dip of 3% below the same month last year, resulting in an overall year-to-date increase of 6% when compared with the first five months of 2015, as Southern Forest Products Association (SFPA) reports.
Offshore shipments during May roughly break down as follows: 27.7 MMbf dressed, 12.1 MMbf rough, and 13.4 MMbf treated lumber.
Softwood lumber imports to the U.S. remained high in May, reaching 1.4 billion board feet, up a hefty 39% from the volume imported during May of 2015. Through the first five months of this year, softwood imports remain up 40% when compared with the same period a year ago.
