Trade of energywood, 4th quarter and year 2023

Until September 2023, energywood prices rose sharply, more in standing sales than in delivery sales. In 2023, the average price of pruned stems rose to EUR 19.4 in standing sales, which was 2.6 times the price of the previous year in real terms. In the case of delivery sales, the price rose 1.3 times to EUR 43.4. Average prices for logging residues increased less, to EUR 7.3 in standing sales and EUR 25.5 in delivery sales.

The volume of energywood traded in 2023 increased by a quarter compared to previous years.

Last quarter of 2023

Prices

• Average prices for pruned stems in the last quarter of 2023 remained roughly at the level of the previous quarter. The average price in real terms rose by one per cent in standing sales and fell by three per cent in delivery sales.
• Prices of logging residues fell. The average price fell by three per cent in standing sales and four per cent in delivery sales.

Trade volumes

• A total of 1.3 million cubic metres of energywood was included in the statistics during the last quarter of the year. This was one fifth more than the average for the previous five years.

Year 2023

Prices

• In 2023, the average price paid for energywood was EUR 10.0 per cubic metre in standing sales and EUR 37.3 per cubic metre in delivery sales. Average prices rose and were 1.7 times those in the previous year in real terms in standing sales and 1.2 times in delivery sales.
• The average price of pruned stems was EUR 19.4 per cubic metre in standing sales and EUR 43.4 per cubic metre in delivery sales. The year-on-year price increases were around 2.6 times and 1.3 times respectively.
• The average price of logging residues was EUR 7.3 in standing sales and EUR 25.5 in delivery sales. The price increase was about 1.4 times and 1.2 times respectively.

Trade volumes

• Trade in logging residues increased over a quarter and trade in pruned stems decreased two percent compared to the previous year. The recorded trade volume of all energywood grew by a quarter from the previous year and from the average of the previous five years.
• Standing sales covered for three-quarters of the trade recorded in 2023 and delivery sales for one-quarter. Just over half of all energywood was logging residues and one third was pruned stems. The remainder was almost entirely unpruned stems, as the energy use of stumps is limited.

Background information on the statistics

Unit prices in roundwood trade are recorded in the statistical database at the fair prices valid each time. However, price changes are examined in the texts and graphs in real terms by eliminating the change in value using the cost-of-living index (1951:10=100). In the last quarter of 2023, the annual increase in consumer prices was around four per cent, and around six per cent for the whole of 2023.

The recorded prices are based on prices entered in wood trade agreements between the buyers and sellers. Any other increments and services related to wood trade are not included in the statistics. The prices do not include government subsidies. 

The information is not rounded up to correspond to the total non-industrial private wood trade in Finland. This means that the published wood volumes represent only just over half of the energywood purchased from non-industrial private forests.