The latest National Statistics on UK Wood Production and Trade, produced by Forest Research, were released on 16 May 2024 according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority.

These statistics include data on production, imports and exports of roundwood and wood products for the UK for the calendar years 2019 to 2023. These statistics are provisional.

Percentage changes (from 2022 to 2023) are shown in parentheses.

Key points for 2023

Removals (harvesting) of UK roundwood:

• • 9.1 million green tonnes of softwood (-1%)
  • 0.8 million green tonnes of hardwood (-2%)

Deliveries of UK roundwood to wood processors and others:

• • Total: 9.8 million green tonnes of roundwood (softwood and hardwood) (-3%), of which:
    • Sawmills: 4.9 million green tonnes (-10%)
    • Wood-based panels: 1.4 million green tonnes (+12%)
    • Integrated pulp and paper mills: 0.4 million green tonnes (+3%)
    • Other uses, including round fencing, wood fuel, shavings and exports of roundwood: 3.1 million green tonnes (+5%)

Production of wood products in the UK included:

• • 2.9 million cubic metres of sawnwood (-8%)
  • 3.0 million cubic metres of wood-based panels (-4%)
  • 3.2 million tonnes of paper and paperboard (-7%)
  • 0.3 million tonnes of wood pellets and briquettes (-4%)

UK imports:

• • 5.8 million cubic metres of sawnwood (-11%)
  • 2.9 million cubic metres of wood-based panels (-10%)
  • 6.4 million tonnes of wood pellets (-15%)
  • 4.9 million tonnes of pulp and paper (-18%)
  • The total value of wood product imports was £9 billion (-16%)

UK exports:

• • The total value of wood product exports was £1.7 billion (-22%)

Apparent consumption of wood products in the UK included:

• • 8.5 million cubic metres of sawnwood (-10%)
  • 5.6 million cubic metres of wood-based panels (-6%)
  • 6.7 million tonnes of wood pellets (-15%)
  • 6.4 million tonnes of paper (-13%)

Details:

Statistician: Daniel Braby

Contact: Francisco Gonzalez

Tel: 0300 067 5238

E-mail: statistics@forestresearch.gov.uk

Coverage: United Kingdom

Geographical breakdown: Some statistics are available by country and English region

Quality:

UK Wood Production and Trade Quality Report. Further quality reports, covering each of the surveys used in this release, are available from our quality page.

Quality Assurance of Administrative Data:

QAAD Timber Sales (updated: May 2022)

Next update:

• Final figures for 2023 will be released in Forestry Statistics 2024 and Forestry Facts and Figures 2024 on 26 September 2024.
• Provisional figures for 2024 will be released in UK Wood Production and Trade: 2024 provisional figures on 22 May 2025.

Pre-release access:
Information on pre-release access to Forest Research official statistics can be found on our pre-release access pages, including lists of the individuals who are given pre-release access to specific publications.

Downloads

Additional Resources

Methodology

A review of the methodology used to estimate the quantity of UK softwood removals from woodland that is not owned or managed by the Forestry Commission (in Great Britain) or the Forest Service (in Northern Ireland) was undertaken in 2011-2012. The paper Methodology Review of Softwood Removals from Non-FC/ FS Woodland presents the results from this review and the implications of the change in methodology. UK Wood Production and Trade: 2011 provisional figures is the first release where the new methodology was used.

  

Further information

The statistics on timber and trade are also used to compile the UK’s Joint Forest Sector Questionnaire (JFSQ) and UNECE Timber Forecast Questionnaire (TF) returns for international organisations.

These timber and trade statistics are produced with the assistance and advice of the Expert Group on Timber and Trade Statistics.

  

Previous releases

Early provisional results are provided in the First Release UK Wood Production and Trade (provisional figures), published every May.

UK Wood Production and Trade: 2022 provisional figures

UK Wood Production and Trade: 2021 provisional figures

UK Wood Production and Trade: 2020 provisional figures

UK Wood Production and Trade: 2019 provisional figures

UK Wood Production and Trade: 2018 provisional figures

UK Wood Production and Trade: 2017 provisional figures

UK Wood Production and Trade: 2016 provisional figures

UK Wood Production and Trade: 2015 provisional figures

UK Wood Production and Trade: 2014 provisional figures

UK Wood Production and Trade: 2013 provisional figures

UK Wood Production and Trade: 2012 provisional figures

UK Wood Production and Trade: 2011 provisional figures 

The final results are published every September in Foresty Statistics, and summarised in Forestry Facts and Figures.