Raw wood prices
Wood is an important natural resource. It is renewable, climate-neutral, recyclable and suitable for use as an energy source. For this reason, it is important for wood to be harvested as efficiently and sustainably as possible. Production costs and sales revenues are decisive factors in wood harvesting and use. Prices depend on natural disasters like storms, the international markets and the current economic situation. Producers can do very little to influence them.
impossible to evaluate
impossible to evaluate
Following the cyclone Lothar in late 1999, there was an oversupply of wood and prices fell dramatically. They have recovered since 2005, which has made it possible to increase wood harvesting. The reasons behind the increase in prices are the general scarcity and the increasing price of raw materials, increasing processing capacities, and stronger demand for fuelwood. In the aftermath of the real estate crisis in 2007/2008 and its subsequent impact on the building sector, the prices for stemwood and industrial wood fell further.
The average price for hardwood has fallen continuously in the last fifteen years. The market demand for softwood for material applications, such as construction, is greater.
Price statistics of the UNECE, FAO and Eurostat absolute prices are only comparable to a limited degree because customs, usages and definitions differ somewhat. However, the trends can be compared through indexation.
The data are obtained from a survey of cantonal forestry services. They are subject to the calculation of the index based on a weighted matrix.
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