Sales results of untreated timber at UEEX LLC for April 2025

Last month, auctions at the Ukrainian Energy Exchange for untreated timber showed the following results:

• the volume sold amounted to 113.16 thousand cubic meters;
• 44.92 thousand cubic meters of wood were sold;
• the cost of wood sales amounted to UAH 142.01 million (including VAT);
• forestry enterprises received additional income during the English auction in the amount of UAH 12.18 million (including VAT).

The distribution of untreated timber timber sales was as follows: 56% - firewood, 44% - round timber.

Last month, untreated timber was sold in Kyiv, Khmelnytskyi, Ivano-Frankivsk, Zhytomyr and other regions.

Round timber

During the reporting period, the company sold 19.81 thousand cubic meters of round timber for a total of UAH 99.33 million (including VAT).

Pine, oak, and spruce were the most popular species sold, with their share in the total structure amounting to 35.99%, 33.81%, and 8.71%, respectively. We also sold such species as hornbeam, ash, sharp-leaved maple, birch, linden and others.

Firewood

During the reporting period, sales of firewood amounted to 25.11 thousand cubic meters worth UAH 42.67 million (including VAT).

The vast majority of firewood (68%) was sold for industrial use, while 32% was sold for non-industrial use.

Hardwood firewood was in the highest demand, accounting for 35% of the total volume.

The graph below shows the structure of firewood sales by grade and species.

Price idices

The most significant changes occurred for alder and fir.

The largest increase was recorded for alder - its price rose to UAH 4,162.53 per cubic meter (including VAT).

The largest price drop was recorded for fir, down 28% to UAH 2,911.54 per cubic meter (including VAT). A decrease in supply and demand in April contributed to the price drop.

Weighted average timber price index, as of April 2025.

Among firewood, non-industrial wood of the first group has risen in price the most - its price increased by 6% and is currently UAH 1,585.53 per cubic meter (including VAT).

Non-industrial firewood of the second group fell in price the most - the price decreased by 25% and now amounts to UAH 1,239.12 per cubic meter (including VAT). Declining demand was the main reason for this drop.

Average weighted price index for firewood, as of April 2025

Overview of news on the timber market in Europe

Estonian sawmills face pressure due to lower demand across Europe

Market participants reported that timber prices in Estonia showed signs of stabilization in April after several months of decline, driven by low demand in key European export markets and a cautious recovery in domestic construction activity.

Prices for coniferous sawlogs have begun to stabilize, with average prices for pine and spruce logs at the roadside hovering around EUR 65-70 per cubic meter, according to local forestry associations. Prices for birch balance wood remain under pressure, trading at 25-30 euros/m³, amid weak demand from Scandinavian pulp mills and declining interest from China.

Timber prices in Norway hit record highs

Norwegian forest owners received an average of NOK 834 (approximately EUR 72.50) per cubic meter of industrial wood in the first quarter of 2025, the highest nominal price on record. At the same time, timber harvesting volumes also reached a new peak: 3.5 million cubic meters of industrial timber were cut for sale during the quarter.

In real terms, timber prices have not reached this level since 1987. The sharp increase is largely attributed to the rise in international demand for timber caused by the war in Ukraine and the spread of bark beetles in Europe in recent years. The weak Norwegian krone has also made Norwegian timber and lumber more attractive for export.

The average price for spruce sawlogs was NOK 989 (EUR 86), while the price for pine was NOK 951 (EUR 83). For spruce, this is a 37% increase compared to the first quarter of 2024, while pine sawlog prices are up 38% year-on-year.

Prices for balance wood also rose sharply. The average price for spruce timber was NOK 619 (EUR 53.75) per cubic meter, while the average price for pine was NOK 594 (EUR 51.65). Compared to the first quarter of 2024, this is an increase of 28% for spruce and 32% for pine.

Austrian softwood market: overview of price trends in April 2025

Austrian sawmills are currently supplied with different numbers of spruce sawmills. Accordingly, the demand behavior is different. In the south, the stocks are partially full and the sawmills are therefore only able to accept partial logs. In the West, demand is slightly down, while in the North, demand remains strong. The contracted volumes are being exported quickly. Although some road closures are causing delays, there are no major stock-outs. Prices have stabilized. Larch is still in high demand, although some price peaks have been limited. Selling pine is proving difficult. Rapid removal of logs after felling is crucial to avoid loss of quality due to blue stain.

Price overview for April in Austria, EUR/m3