Tropical log imports into the EU fell in 2016 and this decline continued in the first half of 2017. EU tropical log imports declined 33% to 53,630 MT in the first half of 2017.
Imports declined from the four leading supply countries; Congo (-42% to 12,760 MT), Cameroon (-37% to 9,150 MT), DRC (-46% to 8,530 MT), and the Central African Republic (-45% to 6,400 MT).
These declines were partly offset by rising EU imports of tropical logs from Equatorial Guinea (+10% to 5510 MT), Angola (4420 MT from a negligible level in 2017), and Liberia (+65% to 2730 MT).
The EU trade in tropical logs is now concentrated in France, Portugal and Belgium.
Imports into all three countries fell sharply in the first 6 months of 2017, down 62% to 18,700 MT in France, down 11% to 11,100 MT in Portugal, and down 43% to 11,800 MT in Belgium.
