Timber Price Indices and UK Wood Production and Trade statistics released

Timber Price Indices data (to March 2025) and 2024 provisional figures for UK Wood Production and Trade have been released.  

Sheila Ward, Head of Information and Statistics at Forest Research said: “The Timber Price Indices and provisional UK Wood Production and Trade statistics are important indicators used to monitor the state of the timber industry and timber prices. The data is also used by the timber industry, alongside other economic indicators, in contract reviews, as well as for reporting to international organisations.”   

UK Wood Production and Trade – 2024 Provisional Figures

Key provisional figures for 2024 indicate (with percentage changes from 2023): 

• Removals (harvesting) of UK roundwood:
  
  • 9.9 million green tonnes of softwood (9%) and 0.8 million green tonnes of hardwood (0%)
    
• Deliveries of UK roundwood to wood processors and others: 

• • Total: 10.1 million green tonnes of roundwood (softwood and hardwood) (3%) 

• Production of wood products in the UK included: 

• • 3.2 million cubic metres of sawnwood (10%) and 2.9 million cubic metres of wood-based panels (-2%) 

• UK imports: 

• • 6.7 million cubic metres of sawnwood (7%); 3.1 million cubic metres of wood-based panels (-3%); 9.3 million tonnes of wood pellets (46%) 

• UK exports: 

• • The total value of wood product exports was 1.8 billion (2%) 

Most of the statistics are only available as UK totals, but some statistics can be broken down by country (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland). Accompanying tables on the Forest Research website provide longer time series data for wood production (roundwood removals), UK roundwood deliveries, sawmills and round fencing manufacturers, showing additional breakdowns where possible. 

To review the full report, visit UK Wood Production and Trade: provisional figures – Forest Research 

Timber Price Indices

This release contains the latest figures for the Coniferous Standing Sales Price Index, the Softwood Sawlog Price Index and the Small Roundwood Price Index for Great Britain. Each is based on sales to 31 March 2025 and cover sales by Forestry England, Forestry and Land Scotland and Natural Resources Wales. The release also includes two sub-indices of the Softwood Sawlog index, covering spruces and other conifers.  

Key findings show:

Coniferous Standing Sales Price Index:

• The index was 0.6% lower in real terms (3.3% higher in nominal terms) in the year to March 2025 compared with the previous year. 

• The average price for coniferous standing sales was £31.16 per cubic metre overbark standing in nominal terms in the year to March 2025, an increase from £30.22 in the year to March 2024. 

Softwood Sawlog Price Index:

• The Softwood Sawlog Price Index was 32.7% higher in real terms (38.5% higher in nominal terms) in the six months to March 2025, compared with the corresponding period in the previous year. 

• The average price for softwood sawlog sales was £77.55 per cubic metre overbark in nominal terms in the six-month period to March 2025, an increase from £59.94 in the six months to September 2024 and an increase from £55.98 in the six months to March 2024. 

• The Spruce Sawlog Price Index and Other Conifer Sawlog Price Index were 40.4% higher and 5% higher, respectively, in real terms in the six months to March 2025 compared with the corresponding period of the previous year. 

Small Roundwood Price Index:

• The Small Roundwood Price Index was 15.6% higher in real terms (20.7% higher in nominal terms) in the six months to March 2025, compared with the corresponding period of the previous year. 

• The average price for small roundwood sales was £48.43 per cubic metre overbark in nominal terms in the six-month period to March 2025, a decrease from £50.83 in the six months to September 2024 and an increase from £40.12 in the six months to March 2024. 

To review the full report, visit Timber Price Indices – Forest Research