The production volume of plywood in Russia in the first four months of 2023 amounted to 1.02 million cubic meters, which is 24.1% lower than the previous year, reported Rosstat, the Russian state statistic agency.
Russia completely lost the European plywood market due to the EU sanctions. In January-April 2022, it brought the country $256.8 million, the exports then amounted to 352 thousand m3, according to Lesprom Analytics. At the same time, deliveries of plywood from Russia to the United States continue, despite the abolition of the most favored nation status and duty increase. In January - March 2023, Russia’s exports of plywood to the U.S. fell 77% year-on-year to 39 thousand m3. The value of exports declined 85% to $23.3 million. Average price of plywood lost 33% to $603 per m3.
The industrial production volume of lumber in Russia in the first four months of 2023 amounted to 9.2 million cubic meters, which is 11.2% lower compared to the previous year.
As a result of Western sanctions imposed on Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine, China has become the sole major market for Russian lumber producers. In the absence of exports to Europe, sawmills in the North-West of Russia have shifted their focus to conquering the Chinese market, where they face competition from Siberian and Far Eastern sawmills.
