The World Bank lowered the forecast for timber prices in Asia and Africa in the recently updated Commodity Markets Outlook.
Logs export prices have a minor reconsideration – the new 2016 forecasts the average annual prices for logs in Africa down by USD2/m3 – to USD 398/m3.
The price of Southeast Asian logs will decrease by USD3/m3– to USD 250, according to the World Bank. At the same time, the expected decrease for Southeast Asian sawnwood prices is of USD 20/m3, from USD 850 to USD 830/ m3.
Still, the institution expects a turn-around of the price dynamics in 2016 for logs and starting with 2017 for sawnwood.
| Product, Origin | Forecast date | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Logs, Africa | January, 2016 | 464 | 465 | 389 | 398 | 409 | 419 | 430 | 441 |
| October, 2015 | - | - | 390 | 400 | 410 | 420 | 431 | 442 | |
| Logs, Southeast Asia | January, 2016 | 305 | 282 | 246 | 250 | 259 | 268 | 277 | 287 |
| October, 2015 | - | - | 245 | 253 | 262 | 270 | 279 | 289 | |
| Sawnwood, Southeast Asia | January, 2016 | 853 | 898 | 833 | 830 | 847 | 865 | 883 | 902 |
| October, 2015 | - | - | 835 | 850 | 866 | 881 | 897 | 914 |
Source: Worldbank
