Uzbekistan has recently emerged as the second-largest purchaser of lumber from Russia. Notably, the combination of China and Uzbekistan accounts for nearly three-quarters of Russian sawnwood exports, with China's share showing a marked increase, media reports.
In 1Q2023, over 4.2mn cubic meters of sawnwood were exported, with more than 74% of these exports going to China and Uzbekistan representing a significant rise from the 56% share of the previous year.
China has shown a particular interest in Russian sawnwood, increasing shipments by 3.5% to a total of 2.9mn cubic metres. This has resulted in China's share of Russian sawnwood shipments rising from 49% to 64%.
Uzbekistan also experienced a notable surge in purchases, acquiring an additional 57,000 cubic meters, or an increase of 13%, totaling 479,000 cubic meters. As a result, Uzbekistan's share of total Russian imports of sawnwood rose to 11%. Iran, Tajikistan, Turkiye, UAE, and Kyrgyzstan also saw significant increases in sawnwood purchases in 1Q2023, indicating the expansion of the Russian lumber market.
The roundwood exports have been banned for the past eighteen months to encourage value-added processing. This approach aims to promote the Russian timber industry and reduce risks associated with exporting unprocessed logs.
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