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Biobío's Forestry Exports Show Decline in July-September 2024 Quarter

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The Biobío Region faces a 7.1% drop in its forestry exports, with China as the main destination, despite a decrease in demand.

Exports from the Biobío Region experienced a significant decline in the July-September 2024 quarter, reaching US$1,312.8 million, of which US$945.4 million corresponded to the forestry sector, as reported by the INE.

The latter saw a 7.1% drop compared to the same period the previous year. The production of pulp, paper, and cardboard led exports with 60.0% of the total, although forestry was the only activity that negatively impacted the regional balance.

The top five destinations for the region's forestry exports were China, the United States, South Korea, Mexico, and the Netherlands, totaling US$677.8 million, representing 71.7% of the total exports in the quarter. However, these countries reduced their imports by US$108.5 million, a 13.8% decrease compared to the previous year.

China remained the largest importer of forestry products from the region, with US$356.7 million, although its imports decreased by 3.5%. The United States followed in second place, with an even sharper decline of 29.8%, equivalent to US$77.4 million less than in the same quarter of 2023. South Korea and Mexico also recorded significant drops in their imports, with declines of 36.2% and 15.4%, respectively.

On the other hand, the Netherlands showed a notable 90.8% increase in its imports of forestry goods from the region, with a rise of US$19.6 million, contributing 4.4% to regional exports.

Pulp, sawn wood, and plywood were the most exported forestry goods, totaling US$778.6 million and accounting for 82.4% of forestry exports. Despite growth in the production of pulp, paper, and cardboard, which exported US$36.1 million more than the previous quarter—a positive variation of 6.8%—it was not enough to offset the overall downward trend.

This scenario presents challenges for the Biobío Region, which will need to seek strategies to diversify its markets and improve the competitiveness of its forestry exports in a context of fluctuating international demand.