Russia is redirecting increasing volumes of timber to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) as traders look to diversify from a lacklustre Chinese market. That is according to new data presented at the 2025 International Softwood Conference, revealing that 1.7 million cubic metres of lumber were shipped to MENA countries in 2024, with 550,000 cubic metres going to Egypt alone.
According to Sanjoy Narayan, of Fastmarkets, Russian lumber production now stands at 28 million cubic metres – down from 32 million cubic metres during the pandemic – with exports falling more than 40% (from a 2019 peak) to just 18.7 million cubic metres last year. “China absorbs about 60% of Russian exports (11.2 million cubic meters in 2024), though these volumes declined by 10% year over year in the first half of 2025 as Chinese market prices remained depressed,” Narayan said. “Notably, Russia still exports sizable quantities to Japan, maintaining a presence in this vital market despite EU sanctions on Russian timber.”
In September, Wood Central reported that a strong ruble, a decline in Chinese demand, and a drop in European exports have put a large number of Russian timber companies on the brink of collapse. It comes after a coalition of timber companies wrote to Putin’s Industry and Trade Minister, Denis Manturov, urging the government to allow merchants to set up an “operational headquarters” to “normalise the industry.”
The letter, shared by Russian publication Kommersant in late July, warns that the timber and forest industry “is going through one of the most tense periods in (it’s) modern history,” with total volumes of timber harvesting down 13% in 2024 compared to 2021 (before Ukraine sanctions), with pulping (down 3%), sawn timber (down 11%) and plywood (23%) amongst the most brutal hit.
- For more information about the impact of Russia’s war in Ukraine on the global timber supply chain, click here for Wood Central’s report.
