Slack Demand on Sales Markets Caused German Softwood Lumber Exports to Fall by 12%

Slack demand on the relevant European sales markets in the second quarter of 2012 caused German softwood lumber exports to fall by 12% against the same quarter of last year to a total of 1.339m m³. With the exception of the Czech Republic (+13%) and Switzerland (+15%), a reduction was registered in deliveries to all European countries. Provisional data from the Federal Statistics Office shows that a reduction of 18% to 1.025m m³ was registered in exports within Europe. Their share of the total exports fell to 77% (83%). In contrast, exports to non-European countries were raised by 9% to 313, 658 m³, increasing their share of the total to 23%. In the first six months, too, exports were 11% or 326, 895 m³ lower than in the same period of last year at a total of 2.522m m³. The reduction of 19% to 1.929m m³ in exports to other European countries was unable to be compensated for by 17% growth to 593, 029 m³ in deliveries to non-European countries. Source: euwid-wood-products