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Biobío's Forestry Exports Show Resilience Amid Regional Downturn
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Although the Biobío Region's total exports recorded a year-on-year drop of 22.9% in June, the forestry sector remained one of the pillars of export activity, even showing slight growth in some areas.
According to the latest bulletin from the National Statistics Institute (INE), forestry shipments—grouped under the Forest Industry category—reached US$98.3 million, representing a 4.7% increase compared to the same month in 2024. This performance contrasts with the sharp declines in Pulp, Paper, and Cardboard Manufacturing (-28.3%) and the Food sector (-38%), which impacted the overall industrial sector.
Breaking down by products, sawn wood was one of the highlights, with exports totaling US$44.7 million, a 2.7% year-on-year increase and equivalent to 13.8% of the regional total. Plywood (+21.2%) and wood profiles and moldings (+4.0%) also stood out.
Despite the drop in pulp, which remains the region's top exported product (31.3% of the total), diversification in wood manufactures allowed the forestry component to maintain its weight in the export basket: three of the six main products exported from Biobío come directly from the forestry industry.
The main destinations for these products continue to be China, the United States, and South Korea, markets that together account for a significant share of international demand for pulp and processed wood.
June's performance confirms that, even in a scenario of overall export contraction, Biobío's forestry sector retains international competitiveness and adaptability, supported by a combination of raw materials and higher-value-added manufactures.
