Canada and Russia were the main suppliers of imported sawn softwood in 2013 at 6.79 million cubic metres and 6.43 million cubic metres, respectively. The faster growth in sawn softwood imports was recorded for Finland and Sweden (up 186% in 2013).
The proportion of China's imported sawn softwood from Russia has been increasing since 2007. China’s sawn softwood imports from Russia in 2013 rose 16% over 2012. Analysts forecast that China’s sawn softwood imports from Russia will exceed those from Canada this year and it may be that Russia will become the largest supplier of China’s sawn softwood imports.
China’s sawn spruce and fir imports have increased rapidly in recent years. In 2013 some 92% of China’s spruce and fir imports were from Canada and amounted to 6.8 million cubic metres.
Imports of sawn spruce and fir from European countries have been increasing and and last year totaled 1.91 million cubic metres.
The pattern of China’s sawn softwoodmarket has changed.
In 2013, 80% of China’s sawn softwoodwas imported by traders in Inner Mongolia, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Guangdong, Tianjin, Shandong and Heilongjiang provinces. Some 76% of China’s scots pine sawnwood was imported through Inner Mongolia while 56% of the spruce and fir imports came through ports in Jiangsu, Shanghai and Tianjin.