Rome: The paper trade continues to decline under pressure from digital media thus forcing a steep drop in the global trade in wood and paper products, according to the latest data released by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Global production of paper and paperboard contracted by 3 per cent, owing to a continuous replacement of printed media with digital products.
The global trade in wood and paper products dropped steeply from record levels in 2021 and 2022, according to The Global Forest Products Facts And Figures 2023 report. The report says the worldwide wood and paper products trade saw a significant drop of 12 per cent: exports decreased by $64 billion to $482 billion in 2023. This level was still above the highest international trade value ever seen before 2021. But significantly, the fact that trade value declined faster than traded quantities for most of the products indicates a drop in forest product prices in 2023 amid a general slowdown in economic growth.
“What we have seen happening is a combination of factors, with production and trade declining due to global supply chain disruption, slowing consumer demand and trade restrictions, together with a longer-term decline for example in global paper production and trade along with the progress of digitalization,” said Zhimin Wu, Director of FAO’s Forestry Division.
Most categories show a decline
Global production and trade of most major wood-based products recorded a decline in 2023 with only wood-based panels recording a marginal growth in production. In 2023, decreases in production of the main wood-based product groups ranged from 2 per cent (wood pulp and recovered paper) to 4 per cent (industrial roundwood and sawnwood). Only wood-based panels recorded marginal growth in production. China, by far the largest producer and consumer of wood-based panels and paper, has grown in importance as both a producer and consumer of forest products. China is also highly important in the international trade of forest products, being the world’s largest importer of industrial roundwood, sawnwood and fibre furnish (pulp and recovered paper), as well as the world’s largest exporter of wood-based panels. Paper and panel production and consumption continued to grow in China in contrast to the downward trend in most other countries.
Industrial Roundwood (used for any purpose other than energy and includes pulpwood, sawlogs and veneer logs, and wood used for fence posts and telephone or electricity poles) – In 2023, global industrial roundwood removals declined by 4 per cent to 1.92 billion m³. Global trade decreased by 13 per cent to 100 million m³ (the lowest level since 2009).
Sawnwood (including planks, sleepers or cross-ties, beams, joists, boards, rafters and lumber) – Production decreased in all five regions around the world in 2023. Global production of sawnwood contracted by 4 per cent to 445 million m³ (the lowest since 2014), and the decline in international trade was as twice big – 8 per cent to 129 million m³ (the lowest since 2014).
Wood-based panels (plywood including blockboard and laminated veneer lumber, particle board, oriented strand board, and fibreboard) – Global wood-based panel production grew by just 1 per cent to 381 million m³ (owing to increased production in the Asia-Pacific that offset a decrease in other regions). However, international trade in wood-based panels followed a downward trend similar to that of other products, falling by 7 per cent to 84 million m³ (lowest since 2016).
Wood pulp – Global production of wood pulp declined by 2 per cent to reach 193 million tonnes. In contrast, trade in wood pulp increased by 3 per cent to reach a record level of 71 million tonnes. Most of the increased supply of wood pulp to international markets came from Brazil, Indonesia and Uruguay in 2019–2023. Global consumption of recovered paper
shrunk by 1 percent to 234 million tonnes in 2023.
Paper and paperboard – In 2023, production declined in Europe and northern America, while it stagnated in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. It grew only in Asia-Pacific, largely driven by China. World paper production dropped by 3 per cent to 401 million tonnes (trade by 7 per cent to 104 million tonnes, the lowest since 2010) owing to the
continued replacement of printed media with digital products. Global production of graphic papers declined by 9 per cent while other paper and paperboard recorded a smaller decrease of 3 per cent in 2023. Production of graphic papers in 2023 (84 million tonnes) was at the lowest level since 1987.
Wood pellet – Production has increased dramatically in the last decades, mainly owing to demand generated from bioenergy targets set by countries. However, the growth for the first time paused in 2023, recording a drop in production by 2 per cent and trade by 5 per cent. In 2023, global production reached 47 million tonnes.
Engineered wood products – The first ever published data on engineered wood products launched by FAO show that in 2023 global production of laminated veneer lumber (LVL) amounted to 4 million m³ (exports – 1 million m³), glue-laminated timber (glulam) – 7 million m³ (exports – 2 million m³), cross-laminated timber (CLT or X-lam) – 1 million m³ (exports – 0.6 million m³) and I-beams (I-joists) – 1 million tonnes (exports – 0.3 million tonnes).
– global bihari bureau
