A Bimonthly Market Report
Vol. 27 No. 2
Mar/Apr 2009
Texas Timber Price Trends
Market Overview*
Timber markets remained slow during
March/April 2009 as the U.S. housing market continued to languish and the pulp and
paper markets suffered weak demand due
to the global economic downturn.
Statewide pine sawlog prices averaged
$24.72 per ton, roughly the same as the
last period, but a 20 percent decrease from
one year ago. In Northeast Texas, the average pine sawlog price was $26.87 per ton
and the average price was $24.03 per ton
in Southeast Texas.
The Average pine pulpwood price declined
19 percent — or $1.37 — from the last period, dropping to $5.68 per ton statewide.
This was the lowest average pine pulpwood
price since July/August 2006.
Small diameter pine sawlog (CNS) prices
averaged $12.66 per ton statewide, down
$3.55 per ton or 22 percent from the last
period.
The average hardwood sawlog price was
$21.12 per ton in East Texas. The price
was $21.05 per ton in Northeast Texas.
Statewide hardwood pulpwood prices averaged $9.03 per ton, a 17 percent increase
from the last period but roughly the same
as this same period one year ago.
*The average prices reported here represent statewide
transactions of 187,584 tons of pine sawlogs, 270,055
tons of pine pulpwood, 91,038 tons of pine CNS,
11,486 tons of hardwood sawlogs, and 56,084 tons of
hardwood pulpwood during March/April 2009.
Texas Timber Price Trends
Page 2
Mar/Apr 2009
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
26.87
199.47
29.89
203.11
-10%
36.20
274.91
-26%
40
Southeast TX
24.03
184.75
23.17
180.70
4%
28.54
226.35
-16%
29
Statewide
24.72
188.44
24.25
184.73
2%
30.82
241.28
-20%
69
USFS
20.17
161.39
13.05
104.44
55%
24.19
193.50
-17%
5
Pulpwood
$/ton
$/cord
$/ton
$/cord
Chg
$/cord
Chg
Number
Northeast TX
5.20
13.86
7.58
20.17
-31%
11.00
29.57
-53%
36
Southeast TX
5.85
15.79
6.86
18.52
-15%
10.18
27.48
-43%
40
Statewide
5.68
15.30
7.05
18.95
-19%
10.49
28.27
-46%
76
**
**
**
**
**
9.08
24.52
**
**
$/ton
$/cord
$/ton
$/cord
Chg
Northeast TX
19.84
53.57
13.36
36.08
49%
15.65
42.25
27%
4
Southeast TX
12.37
33.39
16.22
43.80
-24%
14.87
40.14
-17%
14
Statewide
12.66
34.19
16.21
43.76
-22%
14.88
40.19
-15%
18
Mixed Sawlogs
$/ton
$/MBF
$/ton
$/MBF
Chg
Chg
Number
Northeast TX
21.05
175.76
18.53
146.90
14%
16.94
153.43
24%
Southeast TX
**
24.87
223.84
**
27.83
241.04
**
21.28
177.92
-1%
19.16
171.93
10%
44
**
**
**
$/cord
Chg
Number
USFS
Chip-N-Saw
$/ton
$/ton
$/cord
Chg
Number
HARDWOOD
Statewide
21.12
**
176.47
$/ton
43
**
**
**
**
**
**
$/ton
$/cord
$/ton
$/cord
Chg
Northeast TX
8.57
24.09
7.85
21.99
9%
9.67
27.15
-11%
31
Southeast TX
9.50
26.60
7.61
21.30
25%
9.31
26.10
2%
27
Statewide
9.03
25.33
7.71
21.58
17%
9.45
26.51
-4%
58
**
**
**
2.01
5.64
USFS
Pulpwood
USFS
**
**
**
$/MBF
$/ton
**
**
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
Mar/Apr 2009
Sawlogs
Page 3
Pulpwood
$/Ton
$/Ton
20
55
50
18
P ine
45
P ine
16
H a rdwo o d
40
H a rdwo o d
14
35
12
30
10
25
8
20
6
15
4
10
2
5
0
0
M /A M /J
'07 '07
J/ A
'07
S/O
'07
N/ D
'07
J/ F
'08
M /A M /J
'08 '08
J/A
'08
S/O
'08
N/D
'08
J/F
'09
M / A M / J J/ A
'07 '07 '07
M /A
'09
S/ O N/ D
'07 '07
J/F M / A M / J
'08 '08 '08
J/A S/ O N'D
'08 '08 '08
J/F M / A
'09 '09
Historical Statewide Sawlog Prices
$/MBF-Doyle
600
Pine
500
Hardwood
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
J/A '05
J/A '07
J/A '03
J/A '05
J/A '07
Historical Statewide Pulpwood Prices
$/cord
50
45
40
Pine
Hardwood
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
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/main/article.aspx?id=145.
Mar/Apr 2009
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.
Texas Forest Service
301 Tarrow, Suite 364
College Station, TX 77840-7896
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 Forest
Service website at:
http://txforestservice.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.