BRAZIL – As reported by IBÁ (Brazilian Tree Industry), in the first nine months of 2019 (9M-2019) the consumption of wooden boards in Brazil reached 4.99 million m3, a slight increase of 0.5 percent compared to the same period of 2018 (4.97 million m3).

In 9M-2019 consolidated sales in the domestic market also reached 4.99 million m3, a slight improvement of 0.5 percent compared to the same period of 2018 (4.96 million m3).

The export values of Brazilian wooden boards in 9M-2019 reached USD 197 million, a sharp drop of 12.8 percent compared to USD 226 million exported in the same period of the previous year. Latin America was the main regional export market for Brazilian wood boards in 9M-2019, with USD 125 million (9M-2018: USD 126 million), which represented a 0.8 percent drop.

The North American market continued with USD 49 million, a 2.0 percent drop compared to the same period of 2018 (USD 50 million).

In the same period the volumes exported by Brazilian wood panel manufacturers fell 9.3 percent to 870 thousand m3 compared to the 959 thousand m3 exported in 9M-2018.

IBÁ is the association that brings together the productive chain of trees planted for industrial purposes. The Association is directed by Paulo Hartung, who assumed the executive presidency of the entity on March 18, 2019.