Forisk Research Release

Wood Fiber Markets Struggle with Pulpwood and Residuals in Q3

The Forisk Wood Fiber Review (FWFR) reports flat U.S. weighted average pricing for pulpwood roundwood and chips (combined) in Q3 2026 and down 8% from Q3 2025. Prices for the same products in Canada were down 4% for the quarter and down 3% year-over-year. Delivered softwood roundwood prices increased in the Lake States and Southeast due to fuel costs, while falling in all other regions amidst a surplus of material. Residual chip prices also varied across U.S. regions, down significantly in the Northwest due to oversupply and flat or up in other regions due to transportation costs.

United States

Softwood roundwood: Down 12% in the U.S. Northeast, 8% in the Northwest, and 2% in the South Central region. Up 2% in the Lake States on high transportation costs and up 5% in the Southeast.
Softwood residual chips: Down 13% in the Northwest, where a pulp mill shutdown reduced demand in an already oversupplied market. Up 5% in the Lake States and Southeast on transportation costs.
Hardwood roundwood: Down 6% in the Northwest; up 6% in the Northeast as hardwood mills ran well and increased purchases.
Hardwood residual chips: Down 10% in the Northwest on reduced demand; flat in the South Central region.

“Southeast price increases can be attributed to buyers finding the ‘bottom’ in Q2 following 2025’s demand losses coupled with unexpected wet weather,” noted FWFR Associate Editor, Stephen Wright.

Canada

British Columbia: Delivered softwood roundwood and residual chip prices fell 5% and 10% respectively in Q3 due to slow pulp production and an oversupply of chips.
Eastern Ontario/Quebec: Hardwood roundwood rose 5%; softwood chips rose 1%.
Alberta: Delivered softwood chip prices were flat.

“Current Coastal BC conditions, combined with the PNW’s oversupply from Nippon Dynawave’s downtime in Longview, WA, have caused significant price drops for softwood chips,” said Chris King, Product Manager of the FWFR.

Uncertainty in U.S. trade disputes with Canada combined with higher fuel costs have created challenging circumstances in wood fiber markets, both for buyers and sellers.

About the Forisk Wood Fiber Review

Wood fiber costs account for approximately half of total pulp manufacturing costs in North America. The FWFR includes prices and market commentary for all major North American regions, providing essential data for anyone that needs to track pulpwood, wood chips, and biomass prices in the world’s largest and most dynamic wood fiber markets. The FWFR provides updates on softwood and hardwood prices for major markets in North America. Prices are reported for wood delivered to consuming plants as a range and average. Each report also updates U.S. and Canada trade statistics for lumber, logs, wood pellets, wood chips and pulp.

For more information or to subscribe to the Forisk Wood Fiber Review, visit www.forisk.com or contact: Nick DiLuzio, ndiluzio@forisk.com, 770.725.8447.

About Forisk Consulting: Forisk delivers forecasts and analysis of forest industry markets and timberland investments. Firms participate in Forisk’s research program by subscribing to the Forisk Research Quarterly (FRQ), the Forisk Wood Fiber Review, or the North American Forest Industry Capacity Database; supporting benchmarking studies related to forest operations and mill capacities; and attending educational workshops. www.forisk.com.