Ireland imported €2.5 billion worth of wood and paper products in 2023, while exports for the same products were worth €1 billion, according to figures published today (Tuesday, April 15) from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

Imports of secondary paper products were valued at €878 million in 2023 which represented 35% of the total value of imports. Secondary wood products accounted for a further 28% or €715 million.

Imports of non-coniferous industrial roundwood accounted for seven thousand cubic metres, whilst wood fuel and non-coniferous sawnwood accounted for 50 and 35 thousand cubic metres respectively in 2023, according to the CSO.

Wood fuel includes wood harvested from the main stems, branches and other parts of trees where these are harvested for fuel and wood that will be used for the production of charcoal, wood pellets and other agglomerates.

Commenting on the release, statistician in the environment division of the CSO, Niamh Shanahan said that there was a "substantial shift" from exporting forest log towards processing the log removals from forests into products such as sawnwood, veneer sheets, and wood-based panels before exporting them.

"In recent years, export volumes of coniferous industrial roundwood, coniferous sawnwood, veneer sheets, and wood-based panels, and recovered paper have exceeded imports of these products.

"In contrast import volumes of wood fuel, pulp, paper and paperboard, secondary wood products and secondary paper products have exceeded export volumes," Shanahan said.

Exports of veneer sheets, and wood-based panels were valued at €338 million in 2023 which represented 33% of the total value of exports of wood and paper products.

CSO figures show exports of secondary paper products at €223 million accounted for a further 22% in 2023 while exports of coniferous sawnwood in 2023 were €150 million.

Exports of coniferous sawnwood rose by 176% from 212 thousand cubic metres in 1995 to 586 thousand cubic metres in 2023.

Exports of coniferous industrial roundwood increased by 122% from 207 thousand cubic metres in 1995 to 459 thousand cubic metres in 2023.