China's log imports fell sharply in the first half of 2025, with total volumes down 11% to 16.79 million cubic metres and values plunging 18% to US$2.7bn, according to China Customs. Average log prices also declined 8% year on year to US$160 per cubic metre.
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The decline was driven by a 63% plunge in imports from the United States after China suspended US log shipments in March, pushing importers to seek alternative sources. Shipments from Canada and Latvia rose 4% and 47% respectively, while Japan surged 29% to become China's second-largest supplier, benefiting from its proximity and competitively priced softwoods.
European supplies also strengthened, with imports from Slovakia more than doubling, and France and Germany rising modestly. Conversely, shipments from Papua New Guinea, Russia, and the Solomon Islands all fell.
Tropical log imports dropped 22% overall, with steep declines from top suppliers such as Papua New Guinea (down 18%) and Solomon Islands (down 30%).
Meanwhile, official statistics showed household incomes in China rising by over 5% in the first half of the year, even as real estate investment declined by more than 11%, reflecting ongoing shifts in the domestic economy.
Source: www.globalwood.org
