Stocks of Sweden's softwood sawlogs, pulpwood and pulp chips amounted to 9 million m3 on December, 31 2020. Both stocks of softwood sawlogs and pulpwood were slightly lower than at the same time in the previous year, but there were regional differences, according to the Swedish Forest Agency.
Stocks of softwood sawlogs increased at the end of 2020 to 3 million m3, but were 8% less than at the same time in 2019. It is worth noting that it was only in the south of the country that stocks of softwood sawlogs decreased compared to last winter. In the rest of the country, stocks remained unchanged or were slightly higher. The average stock of softwood sawlogs at year-end over the past five years is 2.9 million m3.
Stocks of pulpwood amounted to 5 million cubic metres. This is 9% less than at the end of 2019, a continued high level compared to the average for the last five years of 4.4 million m3. Even when it comes to stocks of pulpwood, there are regional differences. In the north and south, stocks decreased while they increased in the rest of the country.
The stock of pulp chips was just over 1 million m3, which was 24% more than in the year-end 2019.
Stocks of all assortments increased at the beginning of the year and decreased during the spring. Stocks of softwood sawlogs then increased until the end of the year, while stocks of pulpwood continued to decline until the end of the year when they remained unchanged.
Stocks of pulpwood consisted of 3.6 million m3 of mixed softwood pulpwood, 0.6 million m3 of spruce pulpwood and 0.7 million of hardwood pulpwood. Compared to last year’s end, stocks of mixed softwood pulpwood have fallen by 13,% but are still significantly higher than the 3.1 million m3 that is the average level for the past five years.
Stocks of pulpwood were at 44% by roadside, 28% in industry and 28% at terminals. Spruce pulpwood and hardwood pulpwood are more often located by road than coniferous pulp wood. At the end of 2020, 68% of the spruce pulp wood was by road. The corresponding figures for mixed softwood pulpwood and hardwood pulpwood were 39% and 53%, respectively. In the case of spruce pulpwood and hardwood pulpwood, storage in terminal is less common.
