WRQ Report on Global Forest Industry in Q1 2020

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The Wood Resources Quarterly (WRQ) report published yesterday denotes that import volumes of softwood lumber to the U.S. edged higher during the first quarter of 2020. The imports remained surprisingly robust in March, despite the impacts of coronavirus pandemic. Meantime, the imports to China recorded 14% quarter-on-quarter decline. The overall lumber market profitability saw marginal reduction in early 2020, said the report.

The Q1 2020 sawlog prices around the world held on, despite disruptions in trade and concerns with respect to short-term lumber demand in several key markets. The Global Sawlog Price Index (GSPI) remained essentially unchanged in Q1 this year, when matched with the prior quarter.

The wood fiber costs recorded decline during the first quarter of the year. The U.S., Russia and Latin American region reported the biggest declines. The Hardwood Fiber Price Index (HFPI) registered decline for the fourth consecutive quarter-on-quarter decline, falling by 4.2% from Q4 ’19.

ALSO READ:

WRQ Reported Drastic Decline in Softwood Pulplog Prices Across Europe

Sawmill Profits in Finland Dipped to Historic Lows

The pulp prices, which had witnessed substantial decline in 2019, bottomed out and even reported marginal increases in the first three months of 2020. The premium for softwood pulp over hardwood pulp is currently at around $160 per ton, which is the highest level in more than a year.