After stronger increases in previous months, British softwood lumber imports rose by just 11% vis à vis the preceding year to 719,000 m³ in September 2021. According to the export trade statistics compiled monthly by the Timber Trade Federation (TTF) the most significant increase in imports had been recorded in April (+121%). In the other months, growth rates were in the mid double-digit percentage range in each case.
Starting from 550,000 m³ in January, the volume of imports increased to 734,000 m³ by March and remained stable in April. In May (626,000 m³), less lumber was imported than in the previous month. By August, imports had risen to their highest level of 2021 at 771,000 m³, before easing again somewhat in September.
Concerning the increases in the first half of the year, the basis of comparison must be taken into consideration. Due to the lockdown ordered by the British government at the end of March 2020 to contain the spread of corona, lumber imports had plummeted in April. Despite a recovery in the following months, imports had remained below the respective 2021 volumes until September. Then, in October and November, imports had increased to the highest levels ever recorded. A seasonal decline was then only recorded in December.
Accumulated over the first nine months, a volume of 6.226m m³ lumber was imported at a value of £1.873bn (£834m). The import value (+125%) thus increased more strongly than the import volume (+39%).
