Volumes and prices in roundwood trade, 8/2022

Figures corrected in July 2022-February 2023 data on 20.4.2023.​

Read more on the page Changes and corrections in the statistics.​

Timber trade was very brisk in August, with the total volume more than 60 per cent higher than the average for the previous five years. In standing sales, prices of coniferous logs remained at the July level and prices of coniferous pulpwood fell slightly.

• Timber trade in private forests accelerated in August, with the recorded volume of timber trade rising to 4.2 million cubic metres. It was more than 60 per cent higher than the average over the previous five years. The last time trade volumes of more than four million cubic metres were recorded for August was more than ten years ago.
• However, timber trade in January-August was 23 per cent down year-on-year and seven per cent lower than the average for the previous five years. Compared to the previous five years, log trade diminished by three per cent and pulpwood trade by 12 per cent.
• In August, an average of EUR 74.1 per cubic metre was paid for spruce logs and EUR 69.5 for pine logs in standing sales. These prices remained at the level of July. The real price level of logs was five per cent higher than during the whole previous year in standing sales.
• The standing sale price was EUR 21.9 per cubic metre for spruce pulpwood, EUR 20.0 for pine pulpwood and 19.7 for birch pulpwood. The price of spruce pulpwood fell by five per cent and pine by one per cent from July, while the price of birch remained unchanged. The average price for the whole of last year was exceeded by four per cent for birch pulpwood, while for coniferous the changes were at most one per cent.
• The average roadside price of pine pulpwood was EUR 36.3, spruce EUR 38.0 and birch EUR 37.5. These prices of coniferous remained on level with July, while the real price of birch fell by four per cent. The average price for the whole of last year was exceeded by six per cent for spruce pulpwood and five per cent for the others.

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. Before February 2022, the wholesale price index was used in this calculation.

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.