Introduction
This chapter contains information about UK imports and exports of wood products, and about the level of apparent consumption estimated from data for UK production, imports and exports.
Most information on imports and exports come from the Overseas Trade Statistics compiled by HM Revenue & Customs. Estimates are provided at a UK level only. International comparisons of apparent consumption are provided later in the International Forestry chapter. Further information on the data sources and methodology used to compile the figures is provided in Chapter 10: Sources and Methodology.
Figures for 2024 were previously published in UK Wood Production and Trade: provisional figures, released on 22 May 2025. Some figures for 2024 and earlier years have been revised from those previously published. For further details on revisions, see the Trade section of Chapter 10: Sources and Methodology.
Figures in tables have been independently rounded, so may not add to the totals shown. Percentage changes quoted in this release are based on unrounded figures.
Key findings
The main findings are:
UK imports:
- 6.3 million cubic metres of sawnwood in 2024, a 2% increase from 2023;
- 3.1 million cubic metres of wood-based panels in 2024, a 2% decrease from 2023;
- 9.3 million tonnes of wood pellets in 2024, a 46% increase from 2023;
- 5.1 million tonnes of pulp and paper in 2024, an 8% increase from 2023.
- The total value of wood product imports in 2024 was £9.2 billion, representing a 2% increase from 2023; of which £4.3 billion was pulp and paper.
- Sawn softwood, sawn hardwood, particleboard, fibreboard, and paper and paperboard were mainly imported from EU countries in 2024.
- The vast majority of UK imports of plywood and wood pellets came from countries outside the EU in 2024.
- Apparent consumption of wood in the UK was 48.5 million cubic metres Wood Raw Material Equivalent underbark in 2024, representing a 14% increase from the previous year.
UK exports:
- The total value of wood product exports in 2024 was £1.8 billion, a 1% increase from 2023; of which £1.5 billion was pulp and paper.
Downloads
