A new report is warning that global softwood markets are entering a period of tighter supply.
The study, conducted by Global Wood Trends (Seattle, US) and O’Kelly Acumen (Stockholm, Sweden), says softwood roundwood supply has remained flat since 2000 despite continued growth in overall roundwood production, and is forecast to increase by only about 0.5% annually through 2035.
Conversely, the authors say demand for construction timber, packaging and biomass is expected to continue growing faster than supply.
“The result is a progressively tighter supply-demand balance, with increasing pressure on the availability and real prices of softwood logs,” the report says.
But the global picture contains differences between regions.
The study says global softwood roundwood supply in 2025 was close to its 25-year average, following a dramatic decline from its all-time high in 2021. But the geography of supply has changed substantially since 2000.
“North American softwood roundwood supply has declined by almost 20%, while Europe/Russia and the rest of the world have each increased by about 18%,” it says.
These shifts are important because the regions that have contributed to global supply growth face very different prospects over the next decade.
In Europe there are tighter constraints, the report explains. Harvesting in many forests are close to sustainable biological limits, while forest protection policies restrict further growth.
“The base scenario points to limited overall change, with declines in Central Europe and the Baltics offset by growth elsewhere, particularly in the Nordic region,” the report adds.
These findings are drawn from the Global Softwood Roundwood Supply Outlook, a four-part market report series covering North America; Europe and Russia; Latin America, Asia and Oceania; and a global overview.
