BRAZIL – According to IBÁ (Brazilian Tree Industry), in the fourth quarter of 2020 (4Q-2020) the consumption of wooden panels (PB/MDP, MDF/HDF and Hardboard) in Brazil reached 2.12 million m3, an improvement of 23.8 percent compared to the 1.71 million m3 reached in 4Q-2019.

In 4Q-2020, consolidated sales in the Brazilian domestic market reached 2.11 million m3, an improvement of 23.4 percent compared to the same period of 2019 (4Q-2019: 1.71 million m3).

Brazilian wooden panel export values in 2020 reached USD 276 million, an improvement of 4.2 percent compared to USD 265 million exported in 2019.

Latin America was the main regional export market for Brazilian wooden panels in 2020, with USD 142 million (2019: USD 165 million), which represented a drop of 13.9 percent. The North American market continued in importance with USD 87 million, a strong increase of 24.3 percent compared to 2019 (2019; USD 70 million).

China was the fastest growing external market for Brazilian wooden panel exports, going from USD 9 million in 2019 to USD 21 million in 2020, an increase of 133.3%.

In 2020, the volumes exported by Brazilian wood panel manufacturers showed an improvement of 5.9 percent to 1.08 million m3 compared to 1.02 million m3 exported in 2019.

IBÁ is the association in Brazil that brings together the productive chain of trees planted for industrial purposes. The Association is led by Paulo Hartung, who assumed the executive presidency of the entity in March 2019.