China’s timber import market recorded a sharp decline in February 2026, with total import volume falling 28.7% year on year. Within that overall drop, however, logs and sawn timber moved in different directions. Log imports increased by 6.5%, while sawn timber imports declined by 5.8%. At the same time, Belarus posted a strong gain in shipments to China, while major suppliers including New Zealand and Russia saw declines of more than 30%. In contrast to the weak import performance, China’s exports of timber and wood products rose strongly, led by a 91.5% jump in plywood exports.
According to customs data, China imported 3.215 million cubic meters of timber in February 2026, down 28.7% from the same month a year earlier and 25% lower than in January. Import value during the month reached $690 million, representing a year-on-year decrease of 25.3%. Market conditions were affected by sluggish demand recovery after the holiday period, with performance notably weaker than in the same period of 2025.
Logs rise while sawn timber declines
Looking at the market by product segment, China’s log imports reached 1.795 million cubic meters in February, up 6.5% year on year. Import value for logs increased by 3.6% to $290 million, while the average import price fell by 2.8%.
Sawn timber showed the opposite direction. China imported 1.42 million cubic meters of sawn timber in February, a 5.8% decline from a year earlier. Despite the lower volume, import value edged up 0.3% year on year to $400 million. The average import price for sawn timber continued the upward movement already seen in January, rising 6.5% from the same month last year.
Supplier structure shifts as Belarus stands out
Among China’s ten largest timber suppliers, most countries recorded declines in both volume and value during February. Only Canada, Belarus and the Philippines posted positive growth.
New Zealand, Russia and Thailand remained the top three suppliers, but each saw steep reductions in shipment volume. Imports from New Zealand fell 30.4%, Russia declined 30.7% and Thailand dropped 31.7%. New Zealand’s volume fell from 1.307 million cubic meters to 910,000 cubic meters, while import value declined by 35%, suggesting temporary pressure on its exports to China.
Belarus emerged as the standout supplier for the month. China’s imports from Belarus reached 108,000 cubic meters, up 40% year on year, while import value rose 38.5%.
Other suppliers experienced even sharper contractions. Imports from the Solomon Islands, the United States and Papua New Guinea all declined by more than 40%. Papua New Guinea was particularly weak, with log exports to China falling 70%, making it one of the main contributors to the overall decline in import performance.
Coniferous wood remains under pressure
By species, coniferous wood imports fell 29% year on year to 2.09 million cubic meters in February. Average import prices in this category were broadly stable, increasing only 0.3%.
Within that total, coniferous log imports stood at 1.29 million cubic meters and coniferous sawn timber imports at 0.80 million cubic meters. Both segments recorded substantial declines, down 28.7% and 29.3% respectively from the same month a year earlier.
Other timber species showed mixed results. Eucalyptus log imports fell 4.9%, while okoume log imports dropped sharply by 77.5%. Imports of North American hardwood logs declined 60.9%. Thailand’s rubberwood exports to China were down 31.9%, although the average import price for rubberwood increased by 9.5%.
January-February totals remain weaker, but exports surge
For the first two months of 2026, China’s total timber imports reached 7.503 million cubic meters, down 11.2% year on year. Import value over the same period totaled $1.588 billion, a decrease of 9.5%. The steep 28.7% drop in February import volume weighed heavily on the cumulative result, with the Spring Festival holiday also contributing to the softer start.
In contrast, China’s timber and wood product exports delivered a much stronger performance. Exports in February surged 69.9% year on year, while the cumulative increase for January-February reached 34.4%.
By product category, plywood and similar multilayer board exports rose 91.5% in February, with January-February exports up 45.9%. Wood products used for household and decorative applications also performed well, with February exports increasing 62.7% and cumulative exports for the first two months of the year rising 9.9%.