Biobío's Forestry Exports Fall 30% in August: Pulp and Sawn Wood Lead Regional Decline
The forestry sector continues to be one of the pillars of Biobío's export economy, but in August 2025 it again showed negative figures. According to Export Bulletin No. 370 published by the National Statistics Institute (INE), forestry shipments reached US$91.7 million, representing a 30% drop compared to August 2024.
The report details that within the industrial category—which accounts for 96.5% of the region's total exports—the manufacturing of pulp, paper, and cardboard fell by 42.8%, while exports of forestry products decreased by 30%. Together, both activities contributed 56.2% of Biobío's external sales, reflecting their structural importance in the regional economy.
Among the main exported products, pulp stands out with US$93.6 million (-44.3%), sawn wood with US$36.5 million (-38.7%), and plywood, which achieved a slight increase of 3.4%, reaching US$23.7 million. Other products such as wood fiberboard, moldings, and wooden doors also showed significant year-on-year declines, between -30% and -58%.
Despite the decline, the report reaffirms the leading role of the forestry sector in Biobío's exports. Wood and pulp-derived products continue to represent nearly half of the regional income from foreign shipments, collectively exceeding US$150 million during the month.
Regarding destinations, China and the United States continued to lead purchases, with 19% and 18.7% shares respectively. However, shipments to Asia—the main market for Chilean pulp—fell by 36.5%, accounting for a large part of the overall decline.
Thus, the INE bulletin reflects an adjustment scenario in forestry exports, where international demand, especially from Asia, and the slowdown in the pulp industry set the pace for a sector that, despite the contraction, maintains its leadership within Biobío's export structure.
