Testliner market in Russia

Earlier Report Observations

The Russian testliner market expanded significantly from 711 thousand tons in 2018 to 915 thousand tons in 2020. This growth was supported by a 6.3% increase in the printing inks market during 2018‑2019, indicating heightened activity in the printing industry which uses testliner for packaging. The COVID‑19 pandemic in 2020 had only a moderate impact on the printing sector, allowing testliner production and consumption to continue rising.

Growth continued but at a slower pace from 2021 to 2024, with market volume reaching 991 thousand tons in 2024. In 2021, the production of kraft sack paper was forecast to grow, signaling expansion in the packaging segment. The following year, an EU ban on exports to Russia of printing equipment and materials, including certain paper and paperboard, coupled with surge demand for printing materials, attracted new players from Asia and the Middle East. This boosted domestic demand for testliner, even as exports declined.

Testliner production kept increasing after 2022, reaching 1 111 thousand tons in 2025. The market's sustained growth was driven by robust domestic consumption and the development of local manufacturing capacities.

Production testliner in Russia

In kind, 2018-2021, K t

Testliner production in Russia has increased for the third consecutive year. In 2021, Russia produced 998 thousand tonnes of testliner, marking a 5.2% increase from the previous year. Over the period from 2018 to 2021, production grew by 48.2%, with an average annual growth rate of 14.0%.

Annual dynamics of production in Russia in kind, 2018-2021, K t

Exports testliner from Russia

Exports in kind, t

The market exhibited an unstable trend throughout the timeframe. Exports reached their lowest point in 2019 at 7 501 tonnes, with the largest decline of 32.5% recorded that year. In 2020, exports surged by 486.5%, and in 2021, Russia exported 72 618 tonnes of testliner, a 65.1% increase from 2020, representing the highest volume. The gap between the lowest and highest years was 9.7-fold.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Russia in kind, 2018-2021, t

During 2018–2021, Russia's testliner exports in kind were distributed across numerous markets. China accounted for 28.3% of exports, Senegal for 12.6%, and Kazakhstan for 5.3%, with these three countries together making up only 46.3% of total flows.

Structure of product's exports in kind by countries, 2018-2021

World map of product's exports from Russia in kind, 2018-2021

Exports in value, K $ US

The market showed signs of volatility over the observed period. Exports bottomed in 2019 at 3 559 thousand US dollars, with the largest decline of 40.0% recorded that year. In 2020, exports increased by 367.2%, and in 2021, Russia's testliner export value reached 45 726 thousand US dollars, a 175.0% improvement from 2020, marking the peak. The difference between the lowest and highest years was 12.8-fold.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Russia in value, 2018-2021, K $ US

Throughout 2018–2021, Russia's testliner exports in value terms were not concentrated on a few key markets. China represented 23.2% of exports, Senegal 13.8%, and Lithuania 4.7%, with these three countries jointly accounting for only 41.7% of total flows.

Structure of product's exports in value by countries, 2018-2021

World map of product's exports from Russia in value, 2018-2021

Imports testliner to Russia

Imports in kind, t

The market showed signs of volatility over the observed period. Imports dropped to their minimum in 2020 at 9 241 tonnes, with the largest decline of 78.4% recorded that year. In 2021, Russia's testliner imports totalled 9 704 tonnes, a limited gain of 5.0% from the previous year, while the peak was in 2018. The shift from the lowest to highest years was 5.2-fold.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Russia in kind, 2018-2021, t

Over 2018–2021, the main suppliers of testliner to Russia in kind were Ukraine with 29.2% of imports, Belarus with 29.2%, and Poland with 27.0%, together comprising 85.5% of total imports.

Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2018-2021

World map of product's imports to Russia in kind, 2018-2021

Imports in value, K $ US

The data reveals irregular changes, indicating a volatile market environment. Imports reached their trough in 2020 at 3 730 thousand US dollars, with the largest decline of 80.2% recorded that year. In 2021, Russia's testliner import value stood at 6 819 thousand US dollars, an intense increase of 82.8% compared with 2020, while the peak was in 2018. The difference between the lowest and highest years was 6.1-fold.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Russia in value, 2018-2021, K $ US

In 2018–2021, the leading destinations for imports in value terms of testliner to Russia were Ukraine with 29.3% of imports, Poland with 27.6%, and Belarus with 27.3%, which jointly accounted for 84.2% of total flows.

Structure of product's imports in value by countries, 2018-2021

World map of product's imports to Russia in value, 2018-2021