Volumes and prices in roundwood trade, 10/2024

In standing sales in October prices remained at the high level of previous months. In delivery sales prices rose slightly, with average pulpwood prices at the highest level in the monthly statistics since 1995. 

The volume of roundwood trade was exceptionally high, exceeding the average for the previous five years by almost half. The cumulative volume of timber trade between January and October was 16% higher than last year and 21% higher than in the previous five years.

Timber prices

• In standing sales in October, softwood log prices remained at the September level, with the average price of spruce logs at just under EUR 82 and pine logs at just under EUR 79 per cubic metre. The average price level for the whole of last year was exceeded by around 10% in real terms. The price of birch logs rose by 1% to EUR 66.
• Standing sales prices for pulpwood also remained unchanged. In October, the average price paid for spruce pulpwood was close to EUR 34, and for birch and pine around EUR 32. Prices were 23-25% higher than in the whole of last year.
• In delivery sales of pulpwood, prices continued to rise at exceptionally high levels. The average price of spruce exceeded EUR 53 per cubic metre, birch EUR 52 and pine EUR 51. Average prices rose by 12-14% above last year's level.
• Real pulpwood delivery prices in October were higher than ever before in the monthly statistics started in 1995. Annual prices were at this level in the early 1990s.

Average timber prices and their real changes, October 2024

Trade volumes

• The volume of roundwood trade in October was exceptionally high. Last year's figures were exceeded by two thirds and the average for the previous five years by almost half. The only year with a higher October trade volume than this was 2018.
• The cumulative volume of trade in January-October was 16% higher than last year. The average purchase volumes of the previous five years were exceeded by 21%, the trade in logs by 23% and in pulpwood by 14%. 

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. In October 2024, the annual increase in consumer prices was around half a per cent.

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.

Wood trade data for statistics are provided by the largest buyers of wood and forest management associations. As the information is not rounded up to correspond to the total non-industrial private wood trade in Finland, the published wood volumes only represent about 90 per cent of the wood purchased by forest industries from non-industrial private forests.