Forest products forecasts

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has had a pronounced impact on the packaging industry across the GCC region, sending March containerboard prices and demand soaring. With shipping routes disrupted and fuel costs climbing, packaging producers are facing considerable logistical hurdles. As import delays persist, Saudi Arabia has seen a surge in containerboard demand, with orders increasingly redirected to local mills. Meanwhile, UAE fuel prices have jumped by 72%, though Saudi prices have remained stable despite volatility in global oil markets.

The EU-Mercosur trade agreement, set to take provisional effect in 2026, aims to reduce trade barriers between the two regions. However, the deal faces significant opposition from environmental groups and EU agricultural sectors. For the pulp and paper industry, the effects will be phased in over several years, with an analysis by Cepi showing that tariff reductions will be gradual, eventually benefiting about 85% of EU pulp exports and 90% of paper and board exports.

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See how surging fuel costs and inflation reshape North American paper and board markets. Read our analysis of the oil shock impact on paper packaging. Read more.

European sawn timber markets moved into February 2026 in a broadly cautious mood, with price stability across most grades and destinations masking a more anxious undercurrent driven by the eruption of the Iran conflict and its mounting consequences for global freight markets.

The Middle East energy shock is driving up European natural gas prices, inflating paper packaging costs. Protect your F&B margins today with our data-driven procurement intelligence.