Cameroon: Chinese traders are gradually returning to the market, and the production capacity of sawmills is gradually recovering!

It is reported that as of late April, the production capacity of sawmills in Cameroon is gradually recovering as Chinese traders have returned to the market and are actively seeking alternative markets for sawn timber. Local timber merchants say that this move will help the Cameroonian timber industry stabilize after a period of sluggishness.

Looking back at the first quarter of 2026, the timber trade between China and Cameroon declined by 20.3%. Customs data shows that from January to March 2026, China imported about 61,000 cubic meters of timber from Cameroon, a year-on-year decrease of 20.3%, and the import value dropped by 10.4% to 20.95 million US dollars. The average import price increased by 12.4%. The import situation varied from month to month:

January: The import volume and value increased by 116% and 124.2% year-on-year respectively, and the average price rose slightly by 3.8%.

February: The import volume and value decreased by 75.4% and 57.2% year-on-year respectively, and the average price rose sharply by 73.9% year-on-year.

March: The import volume recovered slightly compared to February, but it still decreased by 60.9% compared to the same period last year, and the import value dropped by 55%, with the average price increasing by 15.6% year-on-year.

Market analysis indicates that the significant increase in timber imports from Cameroon in January was mainly driven by the release of accumulated orders and the pre-stocking by importers after the Spring Festival, but this also to some extent exhausted the subsequent demand, leading to a sharp decline in imports in February. 

It is worth noting that despite the overall contraction in import volume, the average import price still rose by 12.4% year-on-year, presenting a clear pattern of "volume decline and price increase". This is mainly due to the upward movement in the unit prices of major varieties such as tropical logs, tropical sawn timber, and sapele sawn timber. Specifically:

The import volume of tropical logs decreased by 18.3% year-on-year, while the average price increased by 5.1%;

The import volume of tropical sawn timber declined by 13.5%, with the average price rising by 10.1%;

The import volume of sapele sawn timber increased by 5.5% year-on-year, and the average price rose significantly by 18.5%.

Compared with the Chinese market, as of late April, the overall demand in the European market remained lackluster. The demand for species such as African rosewood, winged rosewood, and ayous was particularly weak. Due to intensified competition from alternative materials like Brazilian softwood, the export of Cameroonian ayous to Italy and the Netherlands continued to face significant pressure.

As of now, Cameroon has not introduced any new major forestry regulations. From an operational perspective, local operators hold a cautiously optimistic attitude towards the industry's prospects. The current weather conditions are favorable, and logging activities have expanded.

It should be noted that Cameroon is continuously tightening the export control of some species of logs. Coupled with the reduction in export quotas, delays in license issuance, and logistics bottlenecks, if the export policy continues to tighten and domestic demand does not recover, it is expected that China's imports from Cameroon in the second quarter may continue to be under pressure.

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