May 2025 Southern Pine lumber exports (treated and untreated) were down 18% over the same month in 2024 at 48.9 MMBF and down 14.8% over April 2025, according to May 2025 data from the USDA’s Foreign Agriculture Services’ Global Agricultural Trade System.
Year-to-date exports, however, are running 7% behind the same period in 2024 at 228.6 MMBF.
When looking at the report by dollar value, Southern Pine exports were down 30% to $16.8 million in May compared to the same month in 2024 and down 25.9% over April 2025. Mexico leads the way YTD 2025 at $25.6 million, followed by the Dominican Republic at $18.4 million, and India at $6 million.
Treated lumber exports, meanwhile, were up 2% compared to May 2024 at $13.4 million but down 12% over April 2025. The Leeward-Windward Islands lead the way through the first five months of the year at $9.4 million, followed by Jamaica at $5.9 million, and Barbados at $5.7 million.
Softwood lumber imports were down 3.6% in May to 1.2 MMBF over the year and down 1.9% over April 2025.
May 2025 Southern Pine Lumber Export Markets
Our international consultants weighed in with the following key takeaways on Southern Pine lumber (treated and untreated) export numbers among countries reporting more than 1 MMBF of imports through May 2025:
- Mexico remains the largest export market (by volume) of Southern Pine and treated lumber but is down 8% through May with 59.1 MMBF.
- The Dominican Republic, the No. 2 importer of Southern Pine, continued its slow start to 2025, down 26% with 35 MMBF.
- Canada, which is now the No. 5 importer of Southern Pine lumber (treated and untreated), is running 4% behind 2024 YTD at 11.6 MMBF.
- India also continued its sluggish start to 2025, down 33% YTD with 11 MMBF.
- The Philippines posted another surge, moving to a 101% increase over 2024, with 3.6 MMBF for the first five months of 2025.
- Pakistan, meanwhile, reported a 16% year-over-year drop with 5.7 MMBF so far in 2025.
- Exports to China, now the 15th largest importer, are down 44% YTD at 3.3 MMBF.
- The following countries in the Caribbean and Central American region, outside of Mexico and the Dominican Republic mentioned above, imported more than 1 MMBF through the first quarter of 2025:
- Jamaica: the third-largest export market was down 15% through the first five months of 2025 with 18.3 MMBF.
- The Leeward-Windward Islands: up 6% YTD with 14 MMBF.
- The Bahamas: up 11% with 9.6 MMBF.
- Barbados: up 79% to 8.8 MMBF.
- Netherland Antilles: up 72% at 7.9 MMBF.
- Belize: up 34% year-over-year with 7 MMBF.
- Trinidad and Tobago: down 16% with 5.7 MMBF.
- Haiti: up 117% with 5.4 MMBF.
- Honduras: up 223% with 1.9 MMBF.
- Cayman Islands: down 38% at 1.8 MMBF.
- El Salvador: up 525% with 1.2 MMBF.
- Turks and Caicos: down 28% with 1.1 MMBF.
- Costa Rica: up 77% with 1.1 MMBF.
- Other countries of note:
- Vietnam: up 81% over the year on 2.6 MMBF.
- Colombia: down 26% with 2.3 MMBF.
- France: up 17% with 1.4 MMBF.
- Taiwan: down 58% YTD with 1.2 MMBF.
- Netherlands: down 39% with 1 MMBF.
Members, check out the member portal for a full breakdown of each country for May 2025.
*Note: data are expressed in million board feet (MMBF) unless otherwise indicated.