In 2023, Brazil’s pulp exports reached a new record high, with 49% destined for the Chinese market.
The Brazilian Tree Industry Association (Ibá) announced that in 2023, Brazil set a new record in the forestry sector with pulp exports totaling 18 million tons, covering all types of raw materials produced. Nearly half of these exports (49%) were to the Chinese market, making China the largest importer of Brazilian pulp in terms of volume and revenue. This year, exports to Asian countries amounted to 8.9 million tons, generating $3.8 billion in foreign exchange.
Europe accounted for 24% of Brazil’s pulp exports, while North America took in 14%, with Europe previously being the main destination for Brazilian pulp.
Ibá noted that over the past decade, Brazil’s pulp exports have doubled, ranking the industry fifth in export value among all agricultural sectors. Given the robustness of the pulp and paper industry and new projects, further record-setting growth is expected in the coming years.
From the second half of 2023 to 2028, investments in Brazil’s pulp sector are projected to reach 61.9 billion reais, with Suzano’s Cerrado project alone contributing 22.2 billion reais. Other significant projects include the new Arauco factory with an investment of 15 billion reais and the Chilean CMPC’s Guaiíba (RS) plant, which is part of the BioCMPC project, with an investment of 2.75 billion reais.
In 2023, Brazil’s total pulp production reached 24.3 million tons, slightly decreasing from 2022, reflecting challenging market conditions, particularly in the first half of the year when eucalyptus pulp prices hit a historical low.
