A Bimonthly Market Report
Vol. 31 No. 4
July/August 2013
Texas Timber Price Trends
Market Overview *
Single-family housing starts and building permits surged in August indicating a sustained
U.S. housing market recovery. Starts for volatile multi-family housings, however, edged
down after an impressive upward jump in July. Higher mortgage rates have affected affordability for some buyers and slowed the
pace of home sales. A reporter noted that
the logging force was spread out across the
region and wood-flow was moderate in East
Texas.
Statewide pine sawlog prices averaged
$23.53 per ton, up 6% from last period but
11% below the price a year ago. In Northeast
Texas, average pine sawlog price was $22.86
per ton and it was $23.66 per ton in Southeast
Texas.
The statewide average pine pulpwood price
increased to $6.31 per ton. This was up 11%
from last period and down 9% from the price a
year ago. In Northeast Texas, the average
pine pulpwood price was $5.11 per ton. It
was $6.53 per ton in Southeast Texas.
Small diameter pine sawlogs (CNS) averaged
$12.09 per ton statewide, up 7% from last period. It was up 19% from the price a year ago.
The average hardwood sawlog price was
$29.91 per ton, 12% higher than last period
and 11% higher than the price reported a year
ago.
The average hardwood pulpwood price was
$6.20 per ton, 23% less than last period. The
price this period was 38% less than the price
observed for the same period last year. In
Northeast Texas, the average price was
$8.62 per ton. It was $5.28 per ton in Southeast Texas.
*The average prices reported here represent statewide
volumes of 124,953 tons of pine sawlogs, 374,930 tons of
pine pulpwood, 47,206 tons of pine CNS, 7,680 tons of
mixed hardwood sawlogs, and 50,111 tons of hardwood
pulpwood during July/August 2013.
Texas Timber Price Trends
Page 2
July/August 2013
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
$22.86
$182.89
$26.69
$213.50
-17%
$28.94
$216.82
-27%
25
Southeast TX
$23.66
$189.26
$20.83
$166.68
12%
$23.70
$181.15
0%
16
Statewide
$23.53
$188.22
$22.16
$177.27
6%
$26.08
$197.53
-11%
41
USFS
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
Pulpwood
$/Ton
$/Cord
$/Ton
$/Cord
Chg
$/Ton
$/Cord
Chg
Number
Northeast TX
$5.11
$13.80
$6.24
$16.84
-22%
$5.98
$16.14
-17%
24
Southeast TX
$6.53
$17.64
$5.37
$14.50
18%
$7.43
$20.05
-14%
44
Statewide
$6.31
$17.03
$5.59
$15.09
11%
$6.88
$18.58
-9%
68
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
$/Ton
$/Cord
$/Ton
$/Cord
Chg
$/Ton
$/Cord
Chg
Number
Northeast TX
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
Southeast TX
$12.11
$32.68
$11.24
$30.35
7%
$9.81
$26.48
19%
11
Statewide
$12.09
$32.65
$11.22
$30.30
7%
$9.84
$26.56
19%
12
Mixed Sawlogs
$/Ton
$/MBF
$/Ton
$/MBF
Chg
$/Ton
$/MBF
Chg
Number
Northeast TX
$26.64
$239.72
$23.59
$212.35
11%
$22.85
$223.43
14%
11
Southeast TX
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
$29.91
$269.21
$26.37
$237.37
12%
$26.75
$250.12
11%
13
USFS
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
Pulpwood
$/Ton
$/Cord
$/Ton
$/Cord
Chg
$/Ton
$/Cord
Chg
Number
Northeast TX
$8.62
$24.14
$9.16
$25.66
-6%
$9.75
$27.57
-13%
7
Southeast TX
$5.28
$14.79
$6.59
$18.45
-25%
$8.33
$23.32
-58%
11
Statewide
$6.20
$17.36
$7.65
$21.42
-23%
$8.54
$23.94
-38%
18
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
USFS
Chip-N-Saw
HARDWOOD
Statewide
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.
8. Price changes are calculated based on price in ton
Texas Timber Price Trends
July/August 2013
Page 3
Sawlogs
Pulpwood
$/Ton
$/Ton
20
55
50
P ine
45
H a rdwo o d
40
18
P ine
16
H a rdwo o d
14
35
12
30
10
25
8
20
6
15
4
10
2
5
0
0
J/ A
'11
S/ O
'11
N/ D
'11
J/ F
'12
M /A M /J
'12
'12
J/ A
'12
S/ O
'12
N/ D
'12
J/ F
'13
M /A M /J
'13
'13
J/A
'11
J/ A
'13
S/O N/D
'11
'11
J/F
'12
M /A M /J
'12
'12
J/A
'12
S/O N/D
'12
'12
J/F
'13
M /A M /J
'13
'13
J/A
'13
J /A '05
J/A '07
J/A '09
J/A '11
J/A '13
J/A '05
J/A '0 7
J/A '09
J/A '11
J/A '13
Historical Statewide Sawlog Prices
$/MBF-Doyle
600
Pine
Ha rdwood
500
400
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
Historical Statewide Pulpwood Prices
$/cord
50
45
Pine
Ha rdwood
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
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
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://tfsweb.tamu.edu/main/article.aspx?id=145
July/August 2013
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://tfsweb.tamu.edu/main/article.aspx?id=145
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.