Forestry exports from the Biobío Region recorded a significant contraction during November 2025, reaching US$205.8 million, representing a year-on-year drop of 32.7%, according to the latest Forestry Exports Bulletin from the National Statistics Institute (INE).
Despite the decline, the sector continued to lead regional foreign trade, accounting for 71.4% of the total exported during the month.
Overall, Biobío's total exports amounted to US$288.4 million, of which more than two-thirds came from forestry activity, confirming the sector's strategic weight in the regional economy, even in a slowdown scenario.
Pulp Accounts for the Majority of the Decline
The manufacture of pulp, paper, and cardboard was the economic activity with the greatest impact on the decline in forestry exports. In November 2025, this sector exported US$112.5 million, implying a decrease of 38.2% compared to the same month of the previous year, equivalent to US$69.5 million less in shipments abroad.
In parallel, the forestry sector linked to other productive activities exported US$92.8 million, recording a year-on-year decline of 24.8%, which meant an additional reduction of US$30.6 million compared to November 2024.
Main Products: Pulp and Wood Lead Shipments
The most exported forestry goods from Biobío were pulp, sawn wood, and plywood, which together totaled US$167.8 million, equivalent to 81.5% of regional forestry exports.
Pulp remained the main export product, with shipments of US$109.1 million, representing 53.0% of the forestry total. However, this item experienced a 38.4% year-on-year drop, reflecting a decrease of US$68.0 million.
Sawn wood, meanwhile, reached exports of US$37.8 million, with a 25.6% decline, while plywood totaled US$20.9 million, recording an even steeper decline of 40.8% compared to the same month of the previous year.
One of the few positive figures for the period was wood fiberboard, which posted exports of US$11.0 million, increasing 14.8% compared to November 2024.
United States Remains the Main Destination
Regarding destination markets, the United States remained the main buyer of forestry products from Biobío, accounting for 24.4% of shipments, with exports of US$50.2 million, although with a year-on-year decline of 14.7%.
It was followed by China, which received US$39.7 million, but recorded the largest contraction among the main destinations, with a 69.6% drop compared to November 2024. In contrast, the Netherlands stood out for strong growth, reaching US$26.7 million in forestry imports, representing a 157.4% increase over twelve months.
South Korea also showed positive performance, with an 88.6% year-on-year increase, while Mexico recorded exports of US$8.4 million, decreasing 39.4% on an annual comparison.
Together, the five main destinations—the United States, China, the Netherlands, South Korea, and Mexico—accounted for 70.5% of the total exported, although they accumulated a 35.3% decrease compared to the same period the previous year.
Negative Annual Trend
The INE report confirms that November's decline is part of a sustained negative trend during 2025. As of November, Biobío's accumulated forestry exports reached US$2,500.9 million, representing a cumulative decrease of 24.5% compared to the same period in 2024.
This scenario reflects the challenges facing the regional forestry sector, marked by declines in international markets, especially in Asia, and by lower demand for key products like pulp, the main export driver of Biobío.
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