Timber stocks still low

Nyhet | Statistik - 06 February 2024

Timber stocks on 31 December 2023 were 4 percent lower than at the same time last year and 15 percent lower than the average for the past five years, according to the Swedish Forest Agency's survey.

On 31 December 2023, growing stocks totalled 7.4 million cubic metres. Timber stocks per assortment examined were (percentage change from 31 December 2022):

• Coniferous sawlogs 2.9 million cubic metres (-4%)
• Pulpwood 3.8 million cubic metres (-3%)
• Pulp chips 0.7 million cubic metres (-15%)

Most of the pulpwood stocks are softwood pulpwood, which amounted to 3.1 million cubic metres. This is a decrease of 6 percent compared to 31 December 2022. Stocks of hardwood pulpwood amounted to 0.6 million cubic metres, which means that they were 16 percent higher at the end of 2023 than at the end of 2022.

Low stock levels even compared to the last five years

Timber stocks were low compared to the end of 2022 but also compared to the average at the same time over the past five years. This applies to all examined assortments except for hardwood pulpwood.

A few regional differences

In a couple of cases, the regional changes differ from what it looks like for the whole country.

Wood balance region 1 - larger stocks of softwood pulpwood at the end of 2023 compared to the end of 2022 but lower than the average for the last five years.

Wood balance region 2 - stock of softwood sawlogs on a par with the last five years.

Wood balance region 3 – larger stocks of softwood pulpwood at the end of 2023 but lower compared to the average for the last five years, smaller stocks of hardwood pulpwood both compared to 2022 and with average for the last five years.

Wood balance region 4 - larger stocks of softwood sawlogs at the end of 2023 but significantly lower than the average for the last five years.

Explanation

The cubic metre referred to is m³f ub, solid cubic metres without bark.

Wood balance regions (WBR)

1. Västernorrland, Västerbotten, Norrbotten and Jämtland counties (exclusive Härjedalen municipality)
2. Stockholm, Uppsala, Gotland, Västmanland, Dalarna and Gävleborg counties and Härjedalen municipality.
3. Västra Götaland (exclusive Ale, Lerum, Vårgårda, Bollebygd, Tranemo, Lilla Edet, Mark, Svenljunga, Herrljunga, Vänersborg, Trollhättan, Alingsås, Borås and Ulricehamn municipalities), Värmland and Örebro counties and Habo and Mullsjö municipalities.
4. Södermanland, Östergötland, Jönköping (exclusive Habo and Mullsjö municipalities), Kronoberg, Kalmar, Blekinge, Skåne och Halland counties and the municipalities of Ale, Lerum, Vårgårda, Bollebygd, Tranemo, Lilla Edet, Mark, Svenljunga, Herrljunga, Vänersborg, Trollhättan, Alingsås, Borås and Ulricehamn).

The survey is part of the Official Statistics of Sweden.

All results are found in our Statistical database.