Australia's annualised softwood log exports peaked year-ended September 2017 at 4.071 million m3, only ever breaching the 4.0 million m3 mark that month and the following month. By contrast to the current export volumes, 2017 seems a long distant memory.

As the chart below shows, annualised export volumes may have slipped away since then, but annual weighted average export prices peaked roughly one year ago, in April 2025, reaching AUD Fob 180.92/m3.

Most recently, annualised export volumes have been stable, but export prices have been crumbling away rapidly but remain well above historic average prices.

Annual exports of softwood logs boost to 1.391million m3

Exports of softwood logs over the year-ended February 2026 totalled 1.391 million m3. In February, exports totalled 116,320 m3, at a weighted average price of AUDFob129.09/m3. Formal reporting shows India received 76% of the total, while shipments to China accounted for 21%. Tiny volumes continue to make their way to Vietnam and South Korea.


Softwood Log Exports

Over the year-ended February 2026, Australia’s total exports of softwood logs were 14.6% higher than the prior year, totaling 1.450 million m3. Reported monthly exports totaled 175,332 m3 in February 2026.


For exports, softwood logs are differentiated as smaller or larger than 15 cm diameter. The distinction between log sizes was previously more noteworthy, but analysis becomes challenging as monthly export volumes are increasingly erratic, as seen in the chart. If the chart retains validity in current markets, it is in part to show the contrast over time.

Larger logs (diameter >15cm) are dominating Australia’s exports. As the chart shows, trom 2021, the trend shifted away from favouring exports of the smaller diameter (<15 cm) logs. That appears to have changed again in recent years, with larger dimension logs again dominating export data reports and growing strongly from some regions of Australia. Although these logs are >15cm diameter at the small-end, industry reports demonstrate they are rarely sawlogs, with most <22cm SED.

Over the year ending February 2026, exports of the smaller logs totalled 0.183 million m3 or 13.2% of the total, while shipments of larger logs totalled 1.207 million m3 (86.8%).

Differentiation of exports based on diameter also allows for some price analysis. Export prices for the smaller logs have remained relatively stable in recent months, moving through a narrow range, while the average price of the larger diameter logs has fluctuated moderately more. Both are however trending down.

Originally published in Wood Market Edge online. To learn more, click here.

Source: industryedge.com.au