A Bimonthly Market Report
Vol. 33 No.3
M a y / Ju n e 2 0 1 5
Texas Timber Price Trends
Market Overview *
U.S. housing starts continued to improve due
to sustained growth in multi-family housing
activity. Housing starts were at an annual rate
of 1.17 million units in June, up 9.8 percent
from May and up 26.6 percent from a year
ago. Bad weather delayed housing construction activity in Texas. A reporter noted that
harvesting operations were severely limited
due to heavy rains in May and early June in
Texas, placing upward pressure on hardwood
prices.
Statewide pine sawlog prices averaged
$28.96 per ton, down 8% from last period and
up 12% from the price a year ago. Average
pine sawlog price was $29.76 per ton in
Northeast Texas and $28.60 per ton in Southeast Texas.
The statewide average pine pulpwood price
was $9.24 per ton. This was down 2% from
last period and up 8% from the price a year
ago. In Northeast Texas, the average pine
pulpwood price was $9.75 per ton. It was
$8.99 per ton in Southeast Texas.
Small diameter pine sawlogs (CNS) averaged
$13.81 per ton statewide, down 14% from last
period. It was up 13% from the price a year
ago.
The statewide average mixed hardwood sawlog price was $44.21 per ton, 17% higher than
last period and 22% higher than the price a
year ago.
The statewide average hardwood pulpwood
price was $18.04 per ton, 3% higher than last
period. It was up 121% from the price a year
ago.
*The average prices reported here represent
statewide volumes of 68,548 tons of pine sawlogs, 420,550 tons of pine pulpwood, 58,667
tons of pine CNS, 3,917 tons of mixed hardwood
sawlogs, and 12,287 tons of hardwood pulpwood during May/June 2015.
Texas Timber Price Trends
Page 2
May/June 2015
S t u m p a g e P r i c e s i n Te x a s
Product /Region
Average Price
Last Period
Year Ago
Report
PINE
Sawlogs
$/Ton
$/MBF
$/Ton
$/MBF
Chg
$/Ton
$/MBF
Chg
Number
Northeast TX
$29.76
$244.35
$31.50
$259.21
-6%
↓
$24.56
$205.06
21%
↑
13
Southeast TX
$28.60
$228.81
$31.49
$243.84
-9%
↓
$26.22
$204.76
9%
↑
8
Statewide
$28.96
$233.51
$31.50
$249.58
-8%
↓
$25.91
$204.81
12%
↑
21
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
$/Ton
$/Cord
$/Ton
$/Cord
Chg
$/Cord
Chg
USFS
Pulpwood
$/Ton
**
Number
Northeast TX
$9.75
$26.32
$8.93
$23.97
9%
↑
$6.66
$17.99
46%
↑
31
Southeast TX
$8.99
$24.28
$9.74
$26.29
-8%
↓
$9.27
$25.03
-3%
↓
44
Statewide
$9.24
$24.95
$9.46
$25.48
-2%
↓
$8.57
$23.14
8%
↑
75
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
USFS
Chip-N-Saw
$/Ton
$/Cord
$/Ton
$/Cord
Chg
$/Ton
$/Cord
**
Number
Chg
Northeast TX
**
**
$14.79
$39.94
**
Southeast TX
$13.81
$37.30
$15.54
$41.97
-11%
↓
$12.23
$33.03
13%
↑
14
Statewide
$13.81
$37.30
$16.05
$43.34
-14%
↓
$12.23
$33.03
13%
↑
14
**
**
**
HARDWOOD
Mixed Sawlogs
$/MBF
$/Ton
$/MBF
Chg
Northeast TX
$44.44
$404.39
$37.44
$355.39
19%
↑
$30.50
$274.50
46%
↑
3
Southeast TX
$43.99
$395.89
$38.38
$345.45
15%
↑
$40.34
$363.07
9%
↑
7
Statewide
$44.21
$400.00
$37.67
$352.88
17%
↑
$36.24
$326.12
22%
↑
10
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
$/Cord
$/Ton
$/Cord
Chg
$14.76
$41.34
**
USFS
Pulpwood
$/Ton
$/Cord
$/Ton
Chg
$/Ton
$/MBF
Number
$/Ton
Chg
**
Number
Northeast TX
**
**
$17.72
$49.61
**
Southeast TX
$18.15
$50.81
$17.32
$48.51
5%
↑
$6.72
$18.81
170%
↑
18
Statewide
$18.04
$50.51
$17.54
$49.11
3%
↑
$8.17
$22.88
121%
↑
19
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
USFS
**
**
1. Stumpage price statistics include gatewood sales. Stumpage prices for gatewood sales are estimated by subtracting cut-and-haul costs, other expenses, and profits provided by reporter.
2. Price is calculated from a specific conversion factor reported for each sale if available; otherwise, the average conversion factors listed on page 4 are
used. MBF = Thousand Board Feet. The DOYLE LOG SCALE is used for board foot measurements.
3. Statewide data excludes U.S. Forest Service sales.
4. ** indicates insufficient sales to report price statistics (less than three sales).
5. Prices listed for previous periods may differ from previously published values because additional data have been received.
6. Price change in percentage is calculated based on price in ton.
7. Extreme outliers from reported data are detected and filtered out based on statistical methods.
Texas Timber Price Trends
May/June 2015
Sawlogs
Page 3
Pulpwood
$/Ton
$/Ton
55
20
50
16
H a rdwo o d
40
P ine
H a rdwo o d
18
P ine
45
14
35
12
30
10
25
20
8
15
6
10
4
5
2
0
M /J
'13
J/ A
'13
S/O
'13
N/D
'13
J/ F
'14
M /A
'14
M /J
'14
J/ A
'14
S/O
'14
N/D
'14
J/ F
'15
M /A M /J
'15
'15
0
M /J
'13
J/A
'13
S/O
'13
N/D
'13
J/F
'14
M /A
'14
M /J
'14
J/A
'14
S/O
'14
N/D
'14
J/F
'15
Historical Statewide Sawlog Prices
$/MBF-Doyle
600
500
Pine
400
Hardwood
300
200
100
0
J/A '85
J/A '87
J/A '89
J/A '91
J/A '93
J/A '95
J/A '97
J/A '99
J /A '01
J/A '03
J/A '05
J/A '07
J/A '09
J/A '11
J/A '13
J/A '07
J/A '09
J/A '11
J/A '13
Historical Statewide Pulpwood Prices
$/cord
60
Pine
50
Hardwood
40
30
20
10
0
J/A '8 5
J/A '87
J/A '89
J/A '91
J/A '93
J/A '95
J/A '97
J/A '99
J/A '01
J/A '03
J/A '05
Note: A gap in the chart means less than 3 sales were reported and no price statistics were compiled.
For chart data, please go to http://txforestservice.tamu.edu/timberpricetrends/
M /A
'15
M /J
'15
May/June 2015
Texas Timber Price Trends
Texas Timber Price Trends is a bimonthly publication reporting average
prices paid for standing timber in Texas.
This report is intended only as a guide
to general price levels. Individuals interested in buying and selling timber can use this report to monitor
market trends and get a general idea of what timber is worth.
However, it should not be used to judge the fair market value of a
specific timber sale, which may vary considerably due to many
factors.
HOW ARE AVERAGE PRICES CALCULATED?
Data published in this report are from actual timber sales as
reported by as many as 60 cooperators active in the East Texas
timber market. Reporters include forest product companies,
logging contractors, consulting foresters, family forest landowners,
financial institutions, and federal agencies.
The prices are volume weighted average prices. The price
per ton for each product category is as reported or using a specific
conversion factor provided by the reporters. When a specific
conversion factor for each sale is not available, an average
conversion factor listed here is used instead.
Page 4
VOLUME CONVERSION FACTORS
Sawlogs & Chip-N-Saw
Pine— 8 tons=1 MBF-Doyle
Pine CNS— 2.7 tons= 1 Cord
Hardwood— 9 tons= 1 MBF-Doyle
Pulpwood
Pine— 2.7 tons=1 Cord
Hardwood— 2.8 tons= 1 Cord
This publication is also available on the Texas A&M Forest
Service website at:
http://txforestservice.tamu.edu/timberpricetrends/
WANT TO BE A REPORTER?
If you are active in the East Texas timber market, please
consider becoming a cooperating price reporter. You will receive
report forms bi-monthly with a self-return envelope. In addition, you
will receive a hard copy of the report in exchange for your price
information.