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Update: Northeast and Appalachian Hardwood Log and Lumber Exports

Update: Northeast and Appalachian Hardwood Log and Lumber Exports

In a blog post we published at the beginning of 2017, we analyzed hardwood logs and lumber exported from the Northeast US and, in particular, the four important Appalachian hardwood states of New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia (with data through 3Q2016). The following update includes data through 3Q2017 and provides a sense of the changes, trends and direction of the market that are evident in the data.

Hardwood Log Exports to China

  • US exports of hardwood logs[i] to China reached 0.92 million tons in 2016 and are on pace to reach 1.38 million tons in 2017, a 51 percent increase year-over-year (Table 1).[ii]
  • In 2016, 0.48 million tons of hardwood logs were exported to China from the Northeast,[iii] a figure which is on pace to increase 51 percent to 0.72 million tons by the end of 2017 (Table 1). The Northeast states are on pace to export 52 percent of US hardwood logs to China in 2017.
  • Of the hardwood logs exported from the Northeast to China in 2016, 0.40 million tons (84 percent) were from four important Appalachian hardwood states: New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia (Table 1, Figure 1). This figure is expected to increase 44 percent year-over-year to 0.58 million tons by the end of 2017. As a result, the Appalachian states are on pace to export 80 percent of Northeast and 42 percent of US hardwood logs to China in 2017.
  • Since 2005, total hardwood log exports from the US to China have increased at a rate of 16.3 percent annually, 20.6 percent annually from the Northeast and 20.7 percent annually from the Appalachian states (Table 1).

 

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Hardwood Log Exports to Other Countries

  • US exports of hardwood logs to other countries reached approximately 0.37 million tons in 2016 and are on pace to decrease 3 percent to 0.35 million tons in 2017 (Table 2).
  • In 2016, 0.123 million tons of hardwood logs were exported to other countries from the Northeast, and this figure is on pace to decrease 5 percent to 0.116 million tons by year’s end (Table 2).
  • In 2016, 0.105 million tons of hardwood logs were exported to other countries from the Appalachian states (Table 2, Figure 2). As with other regions, this figure is on pace to decrease (by 7 percent) in 2017 to 0.098 million tons.
  • As a result of these regional decreases, the percentage of total US hardwood logs exported to other countries from the Northeast and Appalachia has decreased by a few percentage points from 2016, continuing the long-standing trend of decreasing hardwood log exports to other countries (Table 2).

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Hardwood Lumber Exports to China

  • US exports of hardwood lumber[iv] to China reached approximately 1.58 million tons in 2016 and are on pace to increase 22 percent to 1.92 million tons in 2017 (Table 3).
  • In 2016, 0.65 million tons of hardwood lumber were exported to China from the Northeast, a figure which is on pace to increase 16 percent to 0.75 million tons by year’s end (Table 3).
  • In 2016, 0.60 million tons of hardwood lumber were exported to China from the four Appalachian hardwood states, and this figure is expected to increase 16 percent to 0.70 million tons by the end of 2017 (Table 3, Figure 3).
  • The Northeast states are on pace to export 39 percent of US hardwood lumber to China in 2017 (Table 3). The Appalachian states are on pace to be 93 percent of Northeast exports and 36 percent of US exports.
  • Since 2005, total hardwood lumber exports to China have increased at a rate of 14.9 percent annually from the US, 18.6 percent annually from the Northeast and 19.9 percent annually from the Appalachian states (Table 3).

 

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Hardwood Lumber Exports to Other Countries

  • US exports of hardwood lumber to other countries reached 0.89 million tons in 2016 and are on pace to increase 8 percent to 0.96 million tons in 2017 (Table 4).
  • In 2016, 0.21 million tons of hardwood lumber were exported to other countries from the Northeast, a number that will increase 13 percent to 0.24 million tons by year’s end or 25 percent of US hardwood lumber exports to other countries (Table 4).
  • In 2016, 0.20 million tons (92 percent of Northeast exports) of hardwood lumber were exported to other countries out of the four Appalachian hardwood states (Table 4, Figure 4). Hardwood lumber exports from the Appalachian states to China are on pace to increase 12 percent to 0.22 million tons by the end of 2017.
  • Since 2005, total hardwood lumber exports to other countries have decreased at a rate of 0.4 percent annually from the US, 3.0 percent annually from the Northeast and 2.0 percent annually from the Appalachian states (Table 4).

 

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[i] This category includes the following HS Codes: 440391 Oak Wood, In The Rough, Not Treated; 440392 Beech Wood, In The Rough, Not Treated; 440399 Nonconiferous Wood In The Rough Nesoi, Not Treated.

[ii] Data from January – September 2017 have been annualized.

[iii] For this analysis, the Northeast includes Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and West Virginia.

[iv] This includes the following HS Codes: 440791 Oak Wood, Sawn, Sliced Etc, Over 6 mm Thick; 440792 Beech Wood, Sawn, Sliced Etc, Over 6 mm Thick; 440793 Maple Sawn Or Chipped Lengthwise, Sliced Or Peeled; 440794 Cherry, Sawn/chipped Lengthwise, Sliced/peeled; 440795 Ash, Sawn Or Chipped Lengthwise, Sliced Or Peeled; and 440799 Nonconiferous Wood Nesoi, Sawn, Sliced Etc, Ov 6mm.