Wood fuel market in Georgia

Earlier Report Observations

The wood fuel market in Georgia exhibited considerable volatility from 2018 to 2023, with its volume reaching a peak of 409 thousand m³ in 2019. This was followed by a sharp contraction of 12% in 2020, which set the market onto a lower trajectory for the subsequent years.

A modest recovery in 2022 was short-lived, as the market volume declined again in 2023, resulting in an overall reduction of approximately 8% over the full period. Domestic production levels moved in tandem with the market size throughout these fluctuations.

While imports played a minimal role until 2022, they saw a notable increase from that year onward, suggesting a growing reliance on foreign supply in the latter part of the observed timeframe.

Production wood fuel in Georgia

In kind, 2017-2020, K m³

Top producers of wood fuel, 2017-2020

World map of production of wood fuel, 2017-2020

In 2019, Georgia's wood fuel production increased by 5.5%, but then dropped significantly in 2020 to 359 000 cubic meters. This represented an 11.7% decrease compared to the previous year. Looking at the broader period from 2017 to 2020, production fell by 15.2%, with an average annual decline of 5.3%.

Annual dynamics of production in Georgia in kind, 2017-2020, K m³

Exports wood fuel from Georgia

Exports in kind, m³

The market showed considerable volatility during this period. In 2018, wood fuel exports from Georgia reached their peak at 10 135 cubic meters, marking a 2.1% increase. However, the following year saw the largest decline of 96.9%, and by 2020, exports had fallen to just 100 cubic meters—a 68.5% drop from 2019. Overall, exports swung dramatically by 102 times between the high in 2018 and the low in 2020.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Georgia in kind, 2017-2020, m³

From 2017 to 2020, Turkey was overwhelmingly the primary destination for Georgia's wood fuel exports, accounting for 96.5% of the total volume.

Structure of product's exports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Georgia in kind, 2017-2020

Exports in value, K $ US

The market exhibited high volatility in these years. In 2018, the value of wood fuel exports from Georgia peaked at 461 500 US dollars, reflecting a 7.5% increase. By 2020, however, exports had plummeted to 6 400 US dollars—a sharp 92.9% decrease from the previous year. Overall, export values varied by 72 times between the high in 2018 and the low in 2020.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Georgia in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

Throughout 2017–2020, Turkey clearly dominated Georgia's wood fuel exports in value terms, capturing 85.7% of the total. Other countries each held significantly smaller shares.

Structure of product's exports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Georgia in value, 2017-2020

Imports wood fuel to Georgia

Imports in kind, m³

Georgia's wood fuel imports declined for the second consecutive year in 2020, dropping to 1 927 cubic meters—a sharp 38.7% decrease year-over-year. The peak occurred in 2018 at 3 840 cubic meters, which was a 22.2% increase. Over the entire 2017–2020 period, imports fell by 38.7%, with an average annual decline of 15.0%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Georgia in kind, 2017-2020, m³

From 2017 to 2020, Germany, Ukraine, and the United States were the leading sources of wood fuel imports to Georgia in volume terms. Germany accounted for 60.7% of imports, Ukraine for 14.9%, and the United States for 9.7%, together making up 85.3% of total flows.

Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Georgia in kind, 2017-2020

Imports in value, K $ US

Georgia's wood fuel import value declined for the second year in a row in 2020, reaching 507 300 US dollars—down 12.1% from the previous year. The highest value was recorded in 2018 at 751 500 US dollars, representing a 38.8% increase. In 2019, imports saw the largest decline of 23.2%. Overall, from 2017 to 2020, import values decreased by 6.3%, equating to an average annual decline of 2.1%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Georgia in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

Over the 2017–2020 period, France, Germany, and Ukraine were the top suppliers of wood fuel to Georgia in value terms. France held 33.7% of imports, Germany 21.3%, and Ukraine 11.3%, with their combined share totaling 66.2% of all imports.

Structure of product's imports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Georgia in value, 2017-2020