The fall in Finnish industrial roundwood prices came to a halt in November 2023. In standing sales, average log prices rose by 1% from October, while pulpwood prices remained unchanged. In delivery sales, pulpwood prices rose slightly, according to the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke).
Since June, the total volume of roundwood trade has been about a third lower than in the previous year. However, due to a busy start to the year, the trade in January-November was 1% higher than a year earlier.
The average price paid for spruce logs in standing sales in November 2023 was Euro 70.2 per cubic metre, and the average price for pine logs was Euro 66.3. These prices rose by 1% from October and ended up around 7% below the average prices for the whole of last year in real terms.
The average price of birch logs for the whole country was Euro 60.1. It was 1% higher than in October and 17% more than the average for the whole of last year.
In standing sales of pulpwood, the average price was Euro 26.2 for spruce, Euro 24.7 for birch and Euro 23.7 for pine. The price of birch fell by 1%, while other pulpwood remained on level with the previous month. However, last year's average prices were exceeded by 13–20%.
In delivery sales, average prices for pulpwood increased slightly, ending up at Euro 47.2 for spruce, Euro 46.3 for birch and Euro 45.1 for pine. Average prices for the whole of last year were exceeded by 18–19%.
Trade volumes
- In November, the volume of industrial roundwood purchased from private forests was 27% lower than last year and 10% below the average for the previous five years.
- The trade in January-November was one per cent higher than a year ago and one per cent lower than the average for the previous five years. Compared to the previous five years, the trade in logs was the same and the trade in pulpwood was down by 1%.
