World's Top 30 Sawnwood Producers: Where Does Indonesia Rank?

Processed wood (sawnwood) remains one of the most important raw materials for global industries, from house building and furniture to building renovations and logistics pallets. Despite high demand, global production is concentrated in just a handful of countries.

Data from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) shows the United States was still the world’s largest sawnwood producer in 2024, with production of approximately 2.7 billion cubic feet, accounting for 17% of total global output. China is in second place with production of 2.1 billion cubic feet, followed by Russia, Canada, and India. These five countries together produce more than half of the world’s sawnwood.

The dominance of these five nations reflects a combination of vast forest resources, large sawmill industrial capacity, and high demand from the construction and manufacturing sectors. Germany is in sixth place, followed by Sweden and Finland, which are known for their intensively managed plantation forests and export-oriented timber industries. Austria and France also feature in the world’s top 15 producers, demonstrating Europe’s continued strong role in supplying global timber needs.

Although the United States still leads global production, China has recorded the fastest growth over the past two decades. Since 2004, China’s sawnwood production has increased more than threefold. This growth has been driven by rapid urbanisation, leading to rising demand for housing, commercial buildings, and infrastructure. China has also developed into one of the world’s largest centres for wood processing and consumption, spanning the furniture industry to various wood-based products for manufacturing.

Indonesia ranks 30th, with production of around 78 million cubic feet, equivalent to 0.5% of global sawnwood output. This position remains far behind the major producing countries; by comparison, United States production is approximately 35 times larger than Indonesia’s. Nonetheless, Indonesia’s inclusion in the top 30 list shows the country remains part of the global timber supply chain, particularly amid high demand for building materials and wood-based products in various countries.