Louisiana Stumpage Report

First Quarter 2022

The stumpage prices below are the statewide averages and are intended to demonstrate the general trends in the market. The current value of timber can differ greatly across parishes, species, tree quality, market access and other factors. Forest landowners considering a timber sale are encouraged to contact a consulting forester for assistance. Average stumpage prices for the six major products for the first quarter of 2022 were reported as follows:

Average stumpage prices*($/ton) Q1/2022

Q1/2022Q4/2022% Change
Pine Sawtimber25.6826.05-1.42
Oak Sawtimber43.9944.25-0.59
Mixed Hardwood Sawtimber35.1035.73-1.76
Pine Chip-n-Saw20.0419.880.80
Pine Pulpwood8.409.09-7.59
Hardwood Pulpwood 9.699.482.22

Market Trends

Southwide stumpage prices were all pushed up due to the steady demand along with labor and logger shortages, however, stumpage prices in Louisiana didn’t follow the southwide average trend in the first quarter of 2022. Prices for four major products in Louisiana decreased in this quarter. The prices of pine sawtimber and oak sawtimber fell by 1.4% and 0.6% to $25.68 per ton and $43.99 per ton, respectively. The mixed hardwood stumpage price was down to $35.10 per ton in the first quarter of 2022. Among all six products, the pine pulpwood market experienced the largest decline from $9.09 per ton to $8.40 per ton, more than 7.5% below last quarter’s average. The pine chip-n-saw market change was subtle, with the price increasing slightly from $19.88 per ton to $20.04 per ton, reaching its highest level in more than 15 years. The hardwood pulpwood price continued to climb up from the fourth quarter of 2021, with average stumpage prices at $9.69 per ton. If inflation is factored in, there may be no rise in the statewide average stumpage prices.

One of the factors that may drive the disconnect between the Southwide and statewide stumpage prices is the dry weather. Louisiana’s average rainfall for the first three months of 2022 was 11.21 inches, the lowest quarterly recorded rainfall in more than a decade (average first-quarter rainfall between 2012 and 2021 was 15.65 inches). Timber prices tend to decrease during dry weather since the dry tracts make the timber more accessible and therefore enhance the supply.

6/1/2023 2:51:14 PM
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