Wood imports to the UK in 2018 included 7.2 million cubic metres of sawnwood (a 6% decrease from the previous year), 3.9 million cubic metres of wood-based panels (2% increase) and 8.0 million tonnes of wood pellets (16% increase) (Table 3.4). A total of 5.5 million tonnes of paper was imported into the UK in 2018, a decrease of 2% from 2017.
Year | (thousand m3) | (thousand tonnes) | ||||||
Sawn wood4 | Wood-based panels3 | Other wood2 | Wood pellets | Paper | Pulp | Recovered paper | Total pulp & paper | |
2009 | 5240 | 2500 | 821 | 45 | 7018 | 940 | 94 | 8052 |
2010 | 5699 | 2701 | 1071 | 551 | 7254 | 1094 | 115 | 8462 |
2011 | 4936 | 2827 | 985 | 1015 | 6887 | 1009 | 177 | 8073 |
2012 | 5179 | 2650 | 965 | 1487 | 6631 | 1021 | 160 | 7812 |
2013 | 5488 | 2964 | 1267 | 3432 | 5929 | 1100 | 184 | 7213 |
2014 | 6425 | 3260 | 1329 | 4773 | 5949 | 1234 | 136 | 7319 |
2015 | 6323 | 3215 | 1378 | 6573 | 6032 | 1223 | 305 | 7560 |
2016 | 6794 | 3410 | 1121 | 6782 | 5876 | 1092 | 125 | 7092 |
2017 | 7663 | 3800 | 1379 | 6885 | 5610 | 1081 | 107 | 6798 |
2018 | 7213 | 3878 | 1766 | 7992 | 5525 | 1066 | 120 | 6711 |
Source: UK overseas trade statistics (HM Revenue & Customs), industry associations
Notes:
1. There are reliability concerns for some of these figures, particularly for individual products (see Sources chapter).
2. Includes roundwood, wood charcoal, chips, particles, residues and from 2017, includes recovered wood.
3. Includes veneer sheets.
4. Sawnwood includes sleepers from 2017.
Sources chapter: Trade