WASHINGTON: Significant increases in exports of softwood lumber and planed lumber to Africa (+3%), and particularly to Asia (+42%), led to an increase in Swedish exports by a total of 5% to approximately 986,000m³ in July. Concerning sales in Africa, exports to Egypt – at +54% to 114,500m³ – are again back near the level of sales volumes recorded prior to the start of the liquidity crisis in the region.
The increase in exports to Asia is primarily due to higher volumes of exports supplied to China (+67%) and Japan (+26%). t 583,500m³, deliveries to European purchasers were in fact at the same level as the preceding year. Classified according to ranges, Swedish Forest Industries Federation (Skogsindustrierna) records increases for planed lumber (+2%) as well as rough-sawn pine lumber (+5%) rough-sawn spruce lumber (+15%).
Over the course of the first seven months of this year, Sweden exported a total of 7.817m m³. Consequently declines recorded in Swedish exports in the first half of the year have meanwhile been completely compensated.
