Norwegian forest-owner organisation and timber buyer Viken Skog has increased its purchase prices for pulpwood and standard spruce sawlogs, with the latest adjustments taking effect on November 1, 2026.

The company said cumulative pulpwood price increases during the autumn have reached NOK50 per cubic metre. The latest adjustment took effect on November 1, rather than representing the entire NOK50 increase as a single price change.

Viken Skog has also raised its purchase price for standard spruce sawlogs by NOK30 per cubic metre from November 1. The adjustment applies to the standard spruce sawlog category with a minimum diameter of 18 centimetres.

In its October 30 announcement, the company cited demand for raw materials in its purchasing markets as a key factor behind the price adjustments. It said industrial customers had relatively low raw-material inventories ahead of winter, while demand for spruce remained strong.

The company also identified timber export markets, including Sweden and other European countries, as important elements of the current purchasing environment.

Viken Skog's forest division head, Lars Kristen Haug, encouraged forest owners with harvest-ready spruce to consider harvesting opportunities during the winter season.

The company also highlighted demand for larger-diameter spruce logs used for poles, with indicated purchase prices ranging from just under NOK1,200 to more than NOK1,700 per cubic metre. These prices relate to a specialist assortment and are separate from the standard spruce sawlog adjustment.

Viken Skog emphasised that the announced increases represent its own procurement prices and should not be interpreted as national Norwegian timber price averages.

Separately, Statistics Norway reported average national prices in the third quarter of 2026 of NOK861 per cubic metre for spruce sawlogs and NOK423 per cubic metre for spruce pulpwood.

Despite the latest adjustments, Viken Skog noted that Norwegian timber prices remain below the peaks recorded during 2024 and the first half of 2025. It also pointed to continued margin pressures among sawmills and wood-processing manufacturers.

The company warned that the risk of raw-material shortages could increase if harvesting activity declines while industrial inventories remain low.

Source: pulpandpaperchronicle.com