From January to October this year, German exports of coniferous logs to China fell by about 38 per cent year-on-year to a total of 2.84 million m3. This year's German exports of coniferous logs to China have shown an overall downward trend, from 510,000m3 in January to 170,000m3 in October. The local German logging industry has not yet recovered to the level of the beginning of this year, and it is expected that German log exports to the Chinese market will remain low in the fourth quarter of 2023.


German sawn timber exports to China rose by about 52 per cent year-on-year to a total of 600,000 m3. Since peaking at 126,000 m3 in March this year, the downward trend has been clear. The four months from July to October maintained a relatively stable volume of sawn timber exports.

In addition, because of the changing international situation, Germany replaced Russia as one of the main timber suppliers to the EU. So even in 2024, after the German timber industry has resumed harvesting, it is likely that its timber exports to China will not suddenly increase to return to the previous level.