China has surpassed the United States for the first time as the top export market for B.C.’s softwood lumber, the provincial government announced this morning.
In May, B.C. shipped $122 million of lumber to China versus $119 million to the United States.
“For the first time ever, the China market has surpassed the U.S. in value,” Pat Bell, minister of jobs, tourism and innovation, said in a press release.
“In only five months, we’ve shipped the equivalent of over 76,000 containers of wood to China – the equivalent production of approximately 14 typical Interior sawmills over this period.”
The Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation noted that May was a record-breaking month for B.C. softwood lumber exports to China with 746,000 cubic metres exported.
From January to May, B.C. exported 2.8 million cubic metres to China – more than double last year’s volume and value.
“We continue to see staggering growth in the amount of wood we export to China, so I’m not surprised that in May we shattered another record for lumber exports to the world’s fastest-growing economy,” Steve Thomson, minister of forests, lands and natural resource operations, said in a press release.
Year-to-date, the value of B.C.’s softwood lumber exports to all Asian destinations has surpassed the total value of shipments to the U.S.
In January, Bell said that lumber demand from China was putting B.C.’s sawmill workers back on the job. (See: “B.C. lumber continues to benefit from Chinese demand” – BIV Business Today, January 19.)
Jenny Wagler
Twitter: JennyWagler_BIV