Timber Exchange review – November 2019

By the end of November, 788,558 solid m³ of timber was sold via the Electronic Timber Trading System (ETTS). One hundred fifty-three auctions were held in November and 116 auctions were announced as completed (a 26% increase compared to October). Two hundred thirty-seven buyers from Lithuania, Latvia and Poland took part in the auctions. Ninety-three per cent of timber was purchased by Lithuanian companies. The total value of the sold timber amounted to EUR 27,626,867.

In November, most of the timber sales via the ETTS took place during the first half-year auction of 2020 (715,034 solid m³). Sawlogs (225,101 solid m³) were the most popular assortment. These were followed by packing logs (115,578 solid m³), pulpwood (109,825 solid m³), firewood (99,359 solid m³), wood panels (98,028 solid m³) and timber harvesting residues (66,158 solid m³).
The total amount of timber offered for sale during the auction increased by nearly 10%, and the amount of timber sold during the auction was 17% higher compared to the second half of 2019. The sales of wood panels increased the most – by 115%; these were followed by pulpwood (72%). The sales of timber harvesting residues dropped by 30%.

Comparison of the prices to the prices recorded during the preceding half-year auction shows that the prices dropped the most for pulpwood (28%), wood panels (25%) and firewood (17%); the price of timber harvesting residues dropped by 15–25%.

The prices of the most demanded assortments (such as packing logs and sawlogs) decreased only slightly, by 2% and 3% respectively. The prices of hard leafy short timber increased by 14%.
Further information about the first half-year auction of 2020 is available here.

The activity of buyers during short-term auctions in November has increased, and 73,524 solid m³ of timber was sold. Compared to October, the sales volumes increased by 32% for all assortments. The greatest increase was recorded for wood panels and firewood (9,311 solid m³), sawlogs (4,311 solid m³) and timber harvesting residues (5,282 solid m³)

Trade in TOP5 timber assortments in November accounted for 92% of the total sales of timber, i.e. 62,167 solid m³. The short-term transaction portfolio included 53% of wood panels and firewood (class II and III calorific value), 15% of pulpwood, 10% of packing logs, 14% of sawlogs and 8% of timber harvesting residues.

In November, the decrease of the prices of some of the TOP5 assortments stopped and the prices began to increase. The prices of pulpwood and packing logs increased by 16%. The prices of the other assortments continued to decrease for the fourth consecutive month however: the prices of wood panels and firewood (class II and III calorific value) decreased by 8%, the prices of timber harvesting residues dropped by 10% and the prices of sawlogs dropped by 9%.

A repeat half-year auction for selling the unsold amount of timber was scheduled in December. The auction will be held on 14–19 December.

Timber Exchange Review – November 2019 =>>