Increased timber stocks at the end of 2022

Nyhet | Statistik - 07 February 2023

Timber stocks increased by 10 percent at the end of last year to a total of 7.7 million cubic meters, according to the Swedish Forest Agency's survey. The increase applies to softwood saw logs as well as pulpwood and pulp chips.

Timber stocks 31 December 2022 (percentage change from 30 September 2022)

• Coniferous saw logs 3 million cubic meters (+10%)
• Pulpwood 3.9 million cubic meters (+9%)
• Pulp chips 0.8 million cubic meters (+16%)

Most of the pulpwood stocks consist of softwood pulpwood, which amounted to 2.9 million cubic meters. That was an increase of about 240,000 cubic meters, or 9 percent since September. Stocks of spruce pulpwood and hardwood also increased slightly during the period

Comparisons with 2021

As of 2022, the survey has been expanded for a more complete accounting of stocks of softwood saw logs by road. This means that comparisons with stocks for previous years in the case of coniferous saw logs should be made with extreme caution. We estimate that the extension corresponds to about 300,000 cubic meters of softwood saw logs.

Stocks of pulpwood and pulp chips were 11 and 6 percent lower, respectively, at year-end 2022 than they were at the same time in 2021.

Regional differences

Stocks of softwood saw logs increased in all wood balance regions at the end of 2022 except in balance region 4 where they decreased slightly.

Stocks of pulpwood increased in all wood balance regions and especially in balance region 4.

Stocks of pulp chips increased slightly in all wood balance regions.

Explanation

The cubic metre referred to is m3f ub, solid cubic metres without bark.
Wood balance regions (WBR)

1. Västernorrland, Västerbotten, Norrbotten and Jämtland counties (exclusive Härjedalen municipality)
2. Stockholm, Uppsala, Gotland, Västmanland, Dalarna and Gävleborg counties and Härjedalen municipality.
3. Västra Götaland (exclusive Ale, Lerum, Vårgårda, Bollebygd, Tranemo, Lilla Edet, Mark, Svenljunga, Herrljunga, Vänersborg, Trollhättan, Alingsås, Borås and Ulricehamn municipalities), Värmland and Örebro counties and Habo and Mullsjö municipalities.
4. Södermanland, Östergötland, Jönköping (exclusive Habo and Mullsjö municipalities), Kronoberg, Kalmar, Blekinge, Skåne och Halland counties and the municipalities of Ale, Lerum, Vårgårda, Bollebygd, Tranemo, Lilla Edet, Mark, Svenljunga, Herrljunga, Vänersborg, Trollhättan, Alingsås, Borås and Ulricehamn).

The survey is part of the Official Statistics of Sweden.
All results are found in our Statistical database.