Global sawlog prices hit low levels in Q2
5 October 2015The Global Sawlog Price Index (GSPI) fell in the second quarter to its lowest level in six years, according to industry bulletin the Wood Resource Quarterly.
Sawlog prices have fallen by 15-20% in a majority of the countries manufacturing softwood lumber in the past 12 months. The GSPI fell 1.5% to US$72.63/m3 in Q2.
The index is currently at its lowest level since 2009, and is down 20% from its all-time high four years ago. Over the past year, sawlog prices have fallen the most in Central European, Eastern European and the Nordic countries predominantly as a result of a weakening Euro.
In North America, prices were down only seven percent because of healthy US domestic lumber demand and respectable log export volumes from both the US and Canada.
The only regions where prices increased were in Northwest Russia and the Interior of British Columbia. Domestic log prices in US dollar terms have also declined in Latin America and Oceania, but to a lesser degree.
