German sawmills warn of timber shortage as sawlog prices hit new peaks

Germany’s timber market has entered 2026 in a state of unusual tension, with log prices surging and sawmills scrambling to secure enough raw material to keep production lines running. Across much of the country, mills report that deliveries of spruce and pine logs are falling well short of demand, triggering an aggressive bidding war for available volumes. The spike has pushed prices into territory rarely seen before. Spruce logs — the backbone of the German lumber industry — are now selling at €130 to €133 per cubic meter for fixed lengths in grade B/C and long logs of grade ...