European suppliers increased their share of U.S. softwood lumber imports in January 2026 compared with a year earlier as Canada’s position weakened on a shrinking market, according to Lesprom Analytics.
Canada’s share of U.S. softwood lumber imports fell by 4.7 percentage points year on year. Sweden increased its share by 6.2 points and Finland added 0.2 points.
The shift occurred as overall U.S. imports declined. U.S. softwood lumber imports fell by 609 thousand m3 compared with January 2025, with the decline largely driven by reduced shipments from Canada.
The change in supplier positions follows Washington’s decision in August 2025 to set final combined countervailing and antidumping duty rates on Canadian softwood lumber ranging from 26.47% to 47.65%, with most exporters facing a combined rate of 35.19%.
Image: Redistribution of Softwood Lumber Export Market Shares in January 2026, PP YoY Change / Lesprom Analytics
Russia also lost ground in the Chinese market. Its share of China’s softwood lumber imports declined by 5.7 percentage points year on year, while Canada increased its share by 2.9 points and Sweden gained 2.6 points. Finland also expanded its share in China by 2.5 points.
Demand conditions in China remained weak. Real estate investment fell 10% year on year in February 2026, while commercial housing sales declined 14% and housing starts were 23% lower, based on data from the National Bureau of Statistics.
Sweden strengthened its position across several other major import markets. Its share rose by 4.1 points in the United Kingdom and by 2.6 points in Japan.
The year-on-year shifts broadly align with monthly trends. Month-to-month data also show Canada losing share in the United States and China while several European suppliers recorded moderate gains across major markets.