Finland's wood trade picked up in January 2024. The volume of industrial timber purchases was 7% higher than a year earlier and exceeded the average for January of the previous five years by 3%. Compared to the previous five years, trade in logs increased by 7%, driven by pine logs, as Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) reported.

Average prices for all types of timber rose in the standing sales. Compared to December, the increase was at most 2%.

In January 2024, the average price paid for spruce logs in standing sales was Euro 72.2 per cubic metre, and the average price for pine logs was Euro 68.8. Prices rose slightly from December and ended up 3% below last year's average prices in real terms.

The average price of birch logs was Euro 59.9. This was 1% higher than a month earlier and 3% more than the average for the whole of 2023.

In standing sales of pulpwood, the average price was Euro 27.5 for spruce, Euro 26.1 for birch and Euro 25.6 for pine. Prices were on a par with last year's average, rising by between 1 and 2 % from December.

In delivery sales, average prices for all pulpwood were just over Euro 47 per cubic metre. The average price of spruce fell by 4%, with smaller price changes for other species.

Trade volumes

In January, 7% more industrial roundwood was purchased from private forests than a year earlier. The volume was 3% higher than the average for the previous five years.

Compared to the previous five years, trade in logs grew by 7%, driven by pine logs. Trade in pulpwood remained at the level of previous years.

Source: Luke