The European Union (EU27) observed a substantial 17% decrease in the import of tropical wood and wooden furniture products during the initial 5 months of 2023 compared to the corresponding period in 2022.
The total imports amounted to 710,800 tonnes, with a corresponding import value of $1.48 billion, indicating a 27% reduction from 2022.
The decline is attributed to the strong initial performance in 2022, resulting in contrasting figures this year.
Import volumes for January to May 2023 are closely aligned with the average figures observed from 2013 to 2019.