OREANDA-NEWS. December 24, 2014. In the first nine months of the year, Latvian exports from the forest industry continued to uplift, the total output reached Euro 1.53 billion, which is 10.3% more than during the same period a year earlier.

Total exports of firewood, along with chips and sawdust decreased; a reflection of the mild winter across northern Europe. Coniferous sawlog exports decreased by 34%, but hardwood sawlogs and small softwood log exports increased (respectively 108% and 31.4%) during 2014, as FestForest reported.

During September, coniferous (including planed) sawnwood exports from Latvia increased by 15% compared with the previous month. In Europe, lumber sales were 6.7% higher, in part caused by increased exports to Africa. Volumes shipped to Egypt increased by 3.7 times.

One of the most significant changes in the European market during September 2014 was the rise in exports to Germany (70.5%), Estonia (30.5%), the United Kingdom (13.7%) and Poland (12.8%), as well as the decrease in the volume of supply to Denmark (-66.9%). Regarding Asia, sales to Japan decreased 30%, Israel 6.5% and Korea 18.2%, the total coniferous sawnwood produced in Latvia during September fell by 15%.

Compared to last September, Latvia exported 30% more sawn and planed coniferous timber to Europe (25%), Africa (72%) and Asia (11%), in the Japanese market, sales reduced by 55%. This was offset by higher volumes shipped to countries such as, Israel (52%), Korea (206%), China (195%) and Pakistan (20%).