Analysis of the Timber Industry Complex of Forest-Rich Countries

The article presents the results of a comparative analysis of the production of forest products in the world at the present stage. International trade and production of forest products demonstrates consistent growth. Global export volumes are showing steady annual growth rate of 1.8 % compared to the preceding decade. Forecasts indicate that this upward trend is expected to continue, with even stronger growth expected in 2030. In 2022, global forest production remained generally stable compared to the previous year. Nevertheless, a decline was recorded in some product categories, primarily due to a decrease in production and exports from Russia. The year 2023 has become just as difficult for the global timber industry complex. Despite the stability of the balance of supply and demand for forest products on the world market, there are obvious changes that will become development trends. The analysis shows that forest-rich donor countries (Brazil, Canada, Russia) export timber and lumber to recipient countries with high domestic demand for timber (China, India, the Middle East and Central Asia). Consequently, a state’s forest resource stock should not be considered as the sole indicator of the success and progress of its forestry sector. Several major forest product producing countries, despite lacking access to their own timber reserves, have a developed woodworking industry, which is renowned for producing high-quality products from imported raw materials. Such a strategy of competition in the timber market has been adopted in some Asian countries.