According to the forestry trade analyst Wood Resources International (WRI), the sawmills in the Nordic countries had the lowest costs for raw material in Europe during Q3 2021. Considering that the timber prices in the other Nordic countries are higher than I Sweden, one can conclude that Sweden has Europe´s lowest timber prices.
Europe’s cheapest timber
According to WRI the timber prices increased by 16 percent in the Nordic countries from Q3 2020 to Q3 2021. In the Baltic States the increase was 62 percent during the same period and in central Europe 79 percent.
“Sawmills in Latvia, Estonia, Czech Republic, Austria, and Germany have had the most expensive raw material globally after an increase of timber prices of 60 to 95 percent in one year,” WRI reports. “Timber costs have increased also in the largest lumber exporting countries Finland and Sweden, but more modest than in the rest of Europe. During Q3/-21, Norwegian and Swedish sawmills had the lowest timber prices in Europe.”
During Q3 2020 the timber prices throughout Europe were quite similar, approx. € 70 per cubic meter. One year later, a large price difference has occurred where the Swedish prices definitely haven´t kept up. The average price level in some parts of central Europe is approaching double the timber price compared to Sweden.
Read the whole press release from WRI here.
This is a translation of an article from Skogsforum.se signed Torbjörn Johnsen
