In the period from January 2022 to December 2022, the Latvian timber market saw a significant increase in roundwood prices compared to 2021. Due to various events in 2022, such as the C19 pandemic, the European Union's decisions to cease timber imports from Russia and Belarus, as well as other factors, rapid price changes occurred in the Latvian timber market, making it virtually unpredictable.
Looking at 2022 roundwood prices, the lowest prices for pulpwood and deciduous sawlogs were recorded from January to March, while the highest were between September and December.
The highest price for coniferous sawlogs, however, was reached in April, when the price of pine sawlogs was €129.37/m³ and spruce sawlogs was €123.2/m³. The lowest price for coniferous sawlogs was reached in December, when the price of pine roundwood was €93.61/m³ and spruce roundwood was €92.73/m³.
Birch sawlogs showed a gradual upward trend over the year, with the lowest point in March at €118.81/m³ and the highest price reached in December at €153.59/m³.
The prices for oak, ash and aspen increased steadily throughout the year. The lowest price for deciduous sawlogs was in January, when the price for birch sawlogs was €105.00/m³, aspen was €48.01/m³, and oak and ash sawlogs were €79.28/m³.
The highest price for deciduous sawlogs was recorded in September and October, when the price for birch was €148.0/m³, aspen and grey alder roundwood cost €103.71/m³, and oak and ash logs were approximately €134.25/m³.
The lowest price for pulpwood assortments was observed in January, with coniferous pulpwood at €44.5/m³. The highest pulpwood price was in October, when the average price for coniferous pulpwood was €89.36/m³, birch pulpwood was €126.49/m³, and aspen pulpwood was €95.09/m³.
From January to October, prices for deciduous and coniferous pulpwood rose gradually, reaching their peak at the start of the heating season. Conversely, from October to December, it was observed that firewood prices began to decrease; similar trends were seen in oak and ash firewood assortments, with the difference that between June and October, the price increase for these assortments was significantly higher. Firewood reached its lowest price in January 2022, when deciduous and coniferous firewood was €37.01/m³, and oak and ash firewood was €64.28/m³. The highest firewood price was reached in October 2022, when deciduous and coniferous firewood was €77.72/m³, while oak and ash firewood was €115.92/m³.
Throughout 2022, the Latvian roundwood market experienced very sharp price fluctuations and changes, with some roundwood assortments reaching unprecedented price levels.