The Global Timber Index (GTI) Report for March 2025 gathers and summarizes timber-related activities such as exhibitions, conferences, and trainings held in nine pilot countries, providing information support to enhance private sector cooperation and exchanges, thereby promoting the trade of legal and sustainable timber products.

The GTI report reveals that the global timber market showed signs of recovery in March. The GTIs for Ghana (64.2%), China (58.1%), and Mexico (50.3%) were above the critical value of 50%, thus indicating improvements in their timber sectors. The GTIs for Thailand (46.7%), Gabon (44.7%), the Republic of the Congo (40.9%), Brazil (35.0%), and Malaysia (20.1%) were below the critical value in March, indicating an overall decline in their timber sectors. Nevertheless, positive signs are evident in some of the GTI sub-indices. For example, in Ghana and Mexico, enterprises saw increases in both harvesting and production; in China and Thailand, the domestic market improved compared to the previous month; and in Gabon and the Congo, the decline in export market had eased.

Tariff-related issues were highlighted in several GTI pilot countries this month. For instance, Gabon’s sample enterprises said export taxes increased, and Ghana’s enterprises reported high export tariffs and high taxes on imported machine spare parts. The GTI-Brazil Focal Point noted that the increased US tariff might lead to a downturn in exports of key products such as plywood and sawnwood. Enterprises in Mexico also reported that high tariffs had hindered international trade. Given the situation of tariff wars in the world, timber traders need to stay cautious and monitor the latest policies and market dynamics to mitigate risks.

The GTI reports on significant indications of progress towards sustainable forest management in the pilot countries. For example, World Bank's study "Natural Capital Accounting in the Congo Basin Forest Countries" says that with 90% forest cover, Gabon is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of tropical ecosystems, and its mountain forests, lowland forests, and mangroves are in good condition. On March 12, China’s National Afforestation Commission released a communique on China's land greening status in 2024, highlighting progress made over the past year. In 2024, China completed afforestation of 4.446 million hectares, with the forest coverage rate surpassing 25% and the forest stock volume exceeding 20 billion cubic meters. In Ghana, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources had called for the creation of a fast-track court to quickly prosecute people who destroy Ghana’s forests. Speaking in an interview on 19 March, he said both the Attorney General and the Chief Justice had shown support for the idea. And in Brazil, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change signed a BRL 61 million contract on 20 March to structure Municipal Governance Offices, which would strengthen deforestation surveillance in 70 priority municipalities in the Legal Amazon.

GTI Report - March 2025.pdf