While the Republic of Congo (DRC-Brazzaville) has ceased log exports since January 1, 2023, the Port of Pointe-Noire also announced on October 21, 2022 that it has also stopped log operations from January 1, limiting the export of semi-finished or finished sawn timber only. At the same time, Congo allows the export of logs cut before 2023 under strict supervision. However, due to the rapid dwindling of stocks, it is expected that around June, stocks of logs cut by the Congo years ago will be depleted and will not be available.
In 2022, the mainland imported 1.132 billion yuan of Congolese timber, of which logs accounted for nearly 84%, reaching 950 million yuan, while sawn timber was only 182 million yuan. According to the illustration of Xiao Lazy finishing, the proportion of logs and sawn timber is quite different.
Also affected by the log export ban, Congo log suppliers have obtained a large number of overseas orders before the ban was implemented. Among them, the mainland imported 179 million yuan of Congolese logs in January 2023, an increase of 286% over the same period last year. Imports of Congolese logs in February rose 886% to 47.56 million yuan even during the off-season Spring Festival holiday.
But since March, imports of logs began to be significantly smaller than in the same period last year. Imports of Congolese logs in March fell 23.6% year-on-year to 98.78 million yuan.
According to ITTO, as of April, Congo's exportable stocks of logs had been largely sold out, and the remaining stocks were difficult to maintain the share of regular exports. While Equatorial Guinea continues to allow the export of logs and sawn timber through Puerto Bata, the "disappearance" of Congolese logs has entered a real countdown.