In the third quarter, softwood log prices continued to fall compared to the second quarter. At the same time, hardwood log prices continued to rise. Incredibly high prices of paper wood and firewood became significantly more expensive despite their already exceptionally high price level, according to the quarterly wood price statistics of the Private Forestry Center.
The ongoing war in Europe and the energy crisis caused by Russia have led to abnormal developments in the wood market. The long-established proportions between the prices of wood assortments have changed significantly.
The prices of pine logs fell by nearly 5% in the third quarter, spruce logs by nearly 9% and spruce fine logs by 11.5%. Certainly, the fairly intensive import of logs from Russia and the continued looting of spruce-bark wood has played its part in the price drop until the beginning of the third quarter, but the cooling of the economy is starting to have an increasing effect.
The prices of all coarse assortments of hardwood sold from private forests have increased over the quarter - birch logs by 12.6%, aspen logs by 17.2% and birch logs by 17.6%. The price of the cheapest assortment, i.e. alder logs, increased the most (19.1%). Compared to last year, the price of a birch pack has already increased by 47%, a birch log by 67.3%, an aspen log by 73.6% and an alder log by 73.7%!
The rapid price growth has continued on the paper wood market as well. Among them, the price increase of hardwood wood has been about twice as fast as that of coniferous wood. However, it should be noted that the prices of all varieties are at an all-time high. Thus, pine wood has increased in price by 138.2%, spruce wood by 145.7%, birch wood by 171.6% and aspen wood by as much as 182.9%! Behind such a crazy price increase, in addition to the decline of Russian wood, there is also the energy crisis that has gripped Europe and the higher demand for energy wood, and the resulting exceptionally high price increase of energy wood.
In fact, the price of firewood has been the driver of the price increase on the wood market and has been increasing every month since August of last year. Namely, the price of firewood has increased more than three times in a year. Compared to three months ago, the price has increased by 42.7% and by 209.8% over the year. In conclusion, if the prices of energy wood should start to fall at some point, it will lead to a fall in the price of pulp wood and also reduce the pressure on log prices, but at the moment there are no signs of this.