Ghana’s primary product exports in the first 2-months of 2024 accounted for 64% of the country’s total wood export volume (40,763cu.m), an 8% decline. In the same period in 2023 exports amounted to 44,400cu.m.

The exported primary products were air-dried sawnwood, billets, teak logs, air-dried boules and kindling which totalled 26,103cu.m in 2024 compared to 28,550cu.m in 2023.

According to the data from the Timber Industry Development Division (TIDD) the average unit prices for the secondary and tertiary products recorded increases in early 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Average prices for primary products fell from Eur393/cu.m in 2023 to Eur384/cu.m in 2024.

The TIDD identifies some of the leading exporters for the period as Samartex Timber and Plywood Company Limited (9%), Miro Forestry Ghana Limited (7%), Multimodal Freight Services Limited (6%), Logs and Awnwood Limited (6%) and John Bitar and Company Limited (6%).

The main species in demand were teak (49%), ceiba (8%), wawa (8%), eucalyptus (8%) and denya (5%).

For the period under consideration India topped the list of export destinations importing around 50% of the total volume of wood products. While Germany (6%), Vietnam (5%), Saudi Arabia (4%), US (4%) and others (31%).