GTI Report: Brazil and Congo defy downward trend in global timber sector
Wood processing in CDP Sawmill, Samutsakorn, Thailand. © Yuvarin Akravisophol
The timber sector posted growth in Brazil in August 2026 and held steady in the Republic of the Congo, while activity declined in other countries, according to the latest Global Timber Index (GTI) Report. The ITTO-supported GTI tracks the performance of the timber sector in ten pilot countries across three continents.
Among the pilot countries, Brazil (59.2%) continued to register a GTI reading above the 50% threshold, indicating an overall expansion in its timber sector. Congo (50.0%) posted a reading at the threshold, signaling a stable sector. The other eight countries were in contraction territory: Ghana (49.1%) and Indonesia (47.9%) posted readings indicating slight contraction; Thailand (45.6%), China (41.7%), and Mexico (41.2%) showed moderate contraction; and Ecuador (39.6%), Gabon (38.2%), and Malaysia (29.7%) recorded a significant downturn.
Sub-indices pointed to areas of stabilization and improvement in some countries. Harvesting volume rose in Brazil and Indonesia, stabilized in Congo after earlier declines, while the contraction in harvesting eased in Ghana and several other countries. On the production side, Brazil maintained growth for a second consecutive month, Indonesia’s production held steady over the past five months, and Mexico’s contraction in production volume eased markedly. On the demand side, Brazil’s new orders increased for the fourth consecutive month; the Congo’s orders remained stable; China’s new orders declined compared to the previous month, but its export market stabilized after earlier declines.
Architectural screening in tropical hardwood at Oasis da Amazonia in Sinop-MT, Brazil. © Direta Madeira
The GTI-Producers Index, a specialized index for timber production, stood at 52.1%, suggesting little change in conditions in the subsector. However, the GTI-Woodbased Panel Index, a specialized index for wood-based panels, was at 40.5%, indicating weakness in that area for the fifth consecutive month.
In its series of case studies on good practice for legal and sustainable timber trade, the GTI Report for August showcases the experience of Mexico’s Pueblos Mancomunados in integrating community forest value chains with industrial processing and the production of certified wooden furniture, as well as the model developed by the Corporation for Sustainable Forestry Management (COMAFORS) to advance the sustainable timber trade through traceability, legality, and technological innovation.
The monthly GTI Report, GTI-Producers Report and GTI-WBP Report are freely available at www.itto.int/gti.
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