The latest National Statistics on UK Wood Production and Trade, produced by Forest Research, were released on 18 May 2023 according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority.
These statistics include data on production, imports and exports of roundwood and wood products for the UK for the calendar years 2018 to 2022. These statistics are provisional.
Percentage changes (from 2021 to 2022) are shown in parentheses.
Key points for 2022
Removals (harvesting) of UK roundwood:
-
- 9.2 million green tonnes of softwood (-10%)
- 0.8 million green tonnes of hardwood (+1%)
Deliveries of UK roundwood to wood processors and others:
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- Total: 10.3 million green tonnes of roundwood (softwood and hardwood) (-8%), of which:
- Sawmills: 5.8 million green tonnes (-9%)
- Wood-based panels: 1.2 million green tonnes (-18%)
- Integrated pulp and paper mills: 0.4 million green tonnes (+1%)
- Other uses, including round fencing, wood fuel, shavings and exports of roundwood: 2.9 million green tonnes (-1%)
Production of wood products in the UK included:
-
- 3.3 million cubic metres of sawnwood (-10%)
- 3.5 million cubic metres of wood-based panels (-1%)
- 3.5 million tonnes of paper and paperboard (-5%)
- 0.3 million tonnes of wood pellets and briquettes (+7%)
UK imports:
-
- 6.0 million cubic metres of sawnwood (-27%)
- 3.0 million cubic metres of wood-based panels (-20%)
- 7.5 million tonnes of wood pellets (-18%)
- 5.7 million tonnes of pulp and paper (+4%)
- The total value of wood product imports was £11.5 billion (+34%)
UK exports:
-
- The total value of wood product exports was £2.2 billion (+14%)
Apparent consumption of wood products in the UK included:
-
- 9.1 million cubic metres of sawnwood (-21%)
- 6.2 million cubic metres of wood-based panels (-12%)
- 7.8 million tonnes of wood pellets (-17%)
- 7.2 million tonnes of paper (-3%)
Details:
Statistician: Daniel Braby
Contact: Francisco Gonzalez
Tel: 0300 067 5238
E-mail: statistics@forestresearch.gov.uk
Coverage: United Kingdom
Geographical breakdown: Some statistics are available by country and English region
Quality:
UK Wood Production and Trade Quality Report. Further quality reports, covering each of the surveys used in this release, are available from our quality page.
Quality Assurance of Administrative Data:
QAAD Timber Sales (updated: May 2022)
Next update:
- Final figures for 2022 will be released in Forestry Statistics 2023 and Forestry Facts and Figures 2023 on 28 September 2023.
- Provisional figures for 2023 will be released in UK Wood Production and Trade: 2022 provisional figures on 16 May 2024.
Pre-release access:
Information on pre-release access to Forest Research official statistics can be found on our pre-release access pages, including lists of the individuals who are given pre-release access to specific publications.
