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    South American Pine Supply: Chile, Brazil and Uruguay
    Knowledge Center
    Pine Logs · 6 min read

    South American Pine Supply: Chile, Brazil and Uruguay

    The South American pine plantation belt is the second pillar of global softwood supply. A reference for GCC buyers diversifying from NZ.

    Chile

    2.3 million hectares of plantation, predominantly radiata pine plus eucalyptus. Major exporters: CMPC, Arauco. Export ports: San Vicente, Lirquen, Coronel, Talcahuano. Export volume: 4-6 million m³ logs annually. Lead time to GCC: 45-60 days.

    Brazil

    Plantation pine focused on Pinus taeda (loblolly pine) and Pinus elliottii (slash pine) across Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. ~2 million hectares of plantation. Export ports: Paranaguá, Itajaí, Itapoá, Rio Grande. Lead time to GCC: 45-55 days.

    Uruguay

    Smaller but growing plantation base, ~1 million hectares of pine and eucalyptus. Export port: Nueva Palmira, Montevideo. Generally consolidated with Brazil flows for vessel economics.

    Why GCC buyers diversify across origins

    Origin diversification: spreading risk across NZ + Chile + Brazil mitigates single-origin disruption from labour, weather, phytosanitary or regulatory events. Spec optionality: each origin produces a slightly different log specification, buyers match the source to the end use.

    Frequently asked questions

    Is Chilean radiata the same as NZ radiata?
    Genetically yes (Pinus radiata), but growing conditions differ, Chilean radiata is grown on slightly higher altitude sites with cooler winters, often producing tighter growth rings and slightly denser wood. Both are world-class plantation pine.
    What's the difference between Pinus taeda and Pinus radiata?
    Pinus taeda (loblolly pine, native to southern USA, grown in Brazil) is denser, knottier and slightly more naturally durable than radiata. Used for both sawmilling and pulp; less ubiquitous in engineered wood than radiata.
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