In the first two months of 2024, Russia witnessed a 6% increase in lumber production compared to the same period last year, reaching 4.5 million m3, as reported by the Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat). However, the production volume was 3% lower than the pre-sanction levels of January-February 2022.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine and subsequent sanctions by Western countries led to a halt in Russian lumber exports to the European Union. China remains the primary market for Russian companies, but the challenging situation in China's construction sector is hindering the growth of lumber consumption. The situation for Russian companies is further complicated by recent calls from European sawmills to Japan, urging the cessation of Russian lumber purchases.
