According to the latest report from Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), wood prices remained at a stable high level in December, after the summer. Compared to November, the price changes were small, with softwood logs and pulpwood up and birch mostly down.

Trade was brisk until the end of the year. December trade volumes were 8% above the average for the previous five years and preliminary data for the year as a whole show that the volume of timber trade was one fifth higher than in previous years. The final 2024 annual statistics will be published at the end of February.

Timber prices
In standing sales in December, softwood log prices continued their upward trend, rising by 1% from November. The average price of spruce logs approached EUR 83 and pine logs exceeded EUR 80 per cubic metre. The price of birch logs fell by 1% to just under EUR 66.

Standing sales prices for pulpwood rose by one to two percent. The average price paid for spruce pulpwood in December was EUR 34, for birch almost EUR 33 and for pine around EUR 32.

Standing sales prices have remained high since June. Real monthly prices for logs and spruce pulpwood were last at this level in 2007-2008. For pine and birch pulpwood, no higher prices can be found in the monthly statistics started in 1995. The average price of pine pulpwood for the whole year was last at this level in 1990 and for birch pulpwood in the early 1980s.

In delivery sales of pulpwood, the average price of spruce rose by 1% from November to EUR 54. Pine and birch prices remained at almost EUR 53 per cubic metre.

At the end of the year, real pulpwood delivery prices were higher than ever before in the monthly statistics. Annual prices were at this level in the early 1990s.

Trade volumes
The volume of roundwood trade continued to be brisk in December. The volume was 48% higher than a year ago and 8% higher than the average for the previous five years.
Based on preliminary data, the cumulative volume of timber trade in January-December was 18% higher than a year earlier. The corresponding figures for the previous five years were 20% higher, with log trade up 22% and pulpwood trade up 13%.

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 December 2024, the annual increase in consumer prices was around one 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.

Source:  Luke