Global timber markets feel the impact of China’s property collapse

At the 73rd International Softwood Conference in Oslo, Sweden’s Setra Group presented an analysis showing how China’s prolonged real estate crisis is reshaping global timber flows. After more than three years of falling housing prices and collapsing construction activity, the country’s once-strong demand for imported softwood has weakened sharply, sending shockwaves through global supply chains. China’s property sector, which once accounted for nearly 30% of national GDP, continues to contract. Setra’s data indicate 41 consecutive months of housing price declines, leaving millions of unfinished or vacant apartments in major cities. Estimates suggest between ...