The two Global Wood Fiber Price Indices were close to parity in the 3Q/16. The Hardwood Wood Fiber Price Index (HFPI) has rebounded by 5.6% from the 1Q/16 when it reached an 11-year low. The biggest price increases this year have been in Brazil, Indonesia, Australia and Chile where prices have gone up despite the strengthening of the local currencies. However, hardwood fiber prices have not gone up in all markets this year. Hardwood pulplog prices were lower throughout Europe, Eastern Canada and the US South.
Except for Russian pulpmills, which have by far the lowest hardwood fiber costs in the world, hardwood pulp-producing regions throughout North America, Europe and Latin America currently have wood costs ranging in a fairly narrow range between US$75/odmt to US$100/odmt. Five years ago, when the HFPI reached its all-time-high, this range was substantially wider at US$75/odmt to US$175/odmt.
Softwood chip and pulplog prices fell in the local currencies in much of Europe and North America which, together with a stronger US dollar against the Canadian dollar and the Euro, resulted in a decline of the Softwood Wood Fiber Price Index (SFPI) in the 3Q/16. The SFPI is currently close to the lowest level in over ten years. During the past 12 months, softwood fiber costs in US dollar terms have fallen the most in the US Northwest, British Columbia, France, Norway and Germany, while they have gone up the most in Brazil, New Zealand and Japan.
