The market for rosewood is booming, while prices for ash and red oak veneers are falling.

The timber market has remained relatively sluggish recently, but within this sluggish market, some timber species have shown signs of improvement. The following is information gathered by reporters during their visits to the timber market for your reference.

The market for African rosewood is booming. Recently, the market for African rosewood has been quite popular, with transaction volume increasing. Merchants say that African rosewood's stable wood, fine grain, and rosy color make it a favorite among Chinese consumers. Driven by the current peak home decoration season, sales are naturally strong. Regarding supply, merchants indicate that since the beginning of this year, the processing speed for endangered species certification in countries like Cameroon has significantly increased, leading to an increase in the amount of African rosewood entering China, alleviating the domestic market's inventory shortage. However, due to the high cost of obtaining endangered species certification, the purchase cost of African rosewood remains high, and the domestic market price has remained stable. Currently, in the Guangdong market, the price of Grade A African rosewood, 2-4 meters long and 5 cm thick, is priced at 22,000-23,000 yuan per cubic meter.

Prices for ash and red oak veneers have fallen. Lately, due to a lack of positive factors in the timber market, the North American timber market has been relatively sluggish, with prices for individual species, such as ash and red oak, declining by approximately 200 yuan per cubic meter. Some vendors indicate that the recent price declines for ash and red oak are primarily concentrated in veneer sheets. This is primarily due to weak domestic market demand this year, which has led to a significant inventory backlog of veneer sheets in the international market. This has led to a continuous decline in international prices for ash and other species, dragging down domestic ash and red oak prices. Vendors also indicate that due to the impact of the Sino-US trade war, domestic vendors are generally less enthusiastic about placing orders, with order volumes remaining at only about 50% of the same period last year. Some vendors even received zero orders in March. Currently in the Guangdong market, the price of ash wood with a length of 2.15-3.05m, a thickness of 1-2 inches, and FAS grade is 6,800-7,800 yuan/cubic meter; the price of red oak with a length of 2.15-3.05m, a thickness of 1-2 inches, and FAS grade is 6,300-8,300 yuan/cubic meter.

The market for red sandalwood may be in short supply. According to investigations, the ongoing investigation into Nigerian red sandalwood, a major customs inspection, continues to unfold. However, industry insiders indicate that while many businesses are remaining passive due to this incident, with the arrival of new stock decreasing, the market is expected to face supply constraints, especially after the end of the second half of the year. According to incomplete statistics, the current domestic stock of red sandalwood is around 15,000-16,000 yuan per container (including spot goods, goods in transit, and goods arriving at the port). Currently, the price of red sandalwood in the Guangdong market has not seen significant fluctuations, with transaction prices remaining around 5,500-6,500 yuan per ton.