Pine Plywood FOB Price Brazil 2025: Buyer's Guide

FOB pricing from Brazil is the starting point for any import calculation, but it tells only part of the story. This guide covers current indicative FOB prices for pine plywood exported from Brazilian ports, the factors that move those prices, and how to evaluate a supplier quote correctly.

---

Current FOB price ranges (mid-2025)

All prices are indicative FOB Paranaguá or São Francisco do Sul, June 2025. Prices are per cubic metre (m³) and reflect full-container orders.

CDX structural plywood

Thickness	Panel size	FOB price (USD/m³)
9mm CDX	1220×2440mm	240–290
12mm CDX	1220×2440mm	230–280
15mm CDX	1220×2440mm	225–275
18mm CDX	1220×2440mm	220–270
21mm CDX	1220×2440mm	220–265
25mm CDX	1220×2440mm	220–260

CDX is the standard US sheathing grade — C-face, D-back, exterior (WBP) glue bond. CARB P2 compliant as standard for US-bound shipments.

Sanded pine plywood (furniture and finish grades)

Grade	Thickness	FOB price (USD/m³)
A/B sanded	12–18mm	310–390
B/B sanded	12–18mm	280–360
B/C sanded	12–18mm	260–330
A/B sanded	6–9mm	330–420

Film-faced plywood (concrete formwork)

Film weight	Thickness	FOB price (USD/m³)
220 gsm brown/black	12mm	380–460
220 gsm brown/black	15mm	360–440
220 gsm brown/black	18mm	350–420
240 gsm (heavy duty)	18mm	390–470

T1-11 siding panels

Groove spacing	Thickness	FOB price (USD/m³)
8" on-centre groove	19mm (3/4")	360–440
4" on-centre groove	19mm (3/4")	370–450

---

Price per sheet vs per m³

Most Brazilian suppliers quote in USD/m³. To convert to per-sheet pricing:

Volume per sheet = thickness (mm) ÷ 1000 × 1.220 × 2.440

Thickness	Volume/sheet (m³)	At $250/m³ = USD/sheet
9mm	0.02679	6.70
12mm	0.03572	8.93
15mm	0.04466	11.16
18mm	0.05359	13.40
21mm	0.06253	15.63

For a 40'HC container at 18mm CDX: approximately 900–1,050 sheets × ~USD 13–15/sheet = USD 12,000–16,000 FOB value.

---

What drives FOB prices

1. Exchange rate (BRL/USD)

Brazil's pine plywood mills pay their costs in Brazilian reais (BRL) — labour, energy, veneer, resin. They sell in USD. When the BRL weakens against the USD, mills have more pricing flexibility; when the BRL strengthens, FOB prices tend to firm up.

The BRL has been trading in the R$4.90–5.30/USD range through H1 2025. A 10% move in the exchange rate typically shifts FOB prices 5–8%.

2. Paraná pine veneer cost

Raw veneer for pine plywood comes from Pinus elliottii and Pinus taeda plantations in Paraná and Santa Catarina states. Veneer prices track plantation timber prices, which have been rising 5–8% annually since 2022 as plantation rotations shorten and competition from the Brazilian domestic construction market increases.

3. Resin and energy costs

Phenolic resin (for WBP bond) and urea-formaldehyde resin (for interior grades) track global chemical feedstock prices. Energy costs in Brazil are closely linked to hydroelectric generation capacity and drought cycles. Both added roughly 12% to production costs between 2022 and 2024.

4. Freight rates from Brazil

FOB pricing excludes ocean freight, but freight market conditions affect buyer demand and therefore FOB negotiations. Container freight from Paranaguá to US East Coast ports has normalised to USD 1,800–2,800/40'HC in 2025 after the highs of 2021–2023.

5. Grade and certification premium

• CARB P2: included in base price for US-bound product
• FSC certification: +5–10% on base FOB
• WBP bond (phenolic): standard for CDX and film-faced; included in base
• E1/E0 formaldehyde class: standard for EU-bound sanded grades; may add USD 15–25/m³

---

How to benchmark a supplier quote

When you receive a FOB quote from a Brazilian mill or trading house, verify:

1. Is the price on a per-m³ or per-sheet basis? Ensure you are comparing apples to apples. Some suppliers quote on nominal thickness; confirm the actual sanded/finished thickness.

2. What does the price include? A proper FOB quote covers: production, inland freight to port, port handling, export documentation (commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, phytosanitary certificate, fumigation/ISPM-15 certificate). It does not cover: ocean freight, marine insurance, import duties, destination handling.

3. What is the loading port? Most Brazilian pine plywood ships from Paranaguá (PR) or São Francisco do Sul (SC). Itajaí is occasionally used. Paranaguá is the dominant port and generally has the best frequency of direct services to US, European, and Middle Eastern ports.

4. What is the payment term? Standard terms: 30% deposit on order confirmation, 70% against copy of Bill of Lading. Some mills offer 100% at sight L/C for new customers. D/P (documents against payment) is available with established relationships.

5. What is the production lead time? 4–6 weeks from order confirmation to vessel loading is normal for standard grades in volume. Custom sizes, unusual thicknesses, or heavy-film grades may extend to 8–10 weeks.

---

Full landed cost calculation

FOB price is only the first number. A complete landed cost model for US buyers:

Cost element	Typical range (40'HC, 18mm CDX)
FOB value	USD 12,000–15,000
Ocean freight (Paranaguá → Houston)	USD 2,000–3,000
Marine insurance (0.35% CIF value)	USD 50–65
Import duty (8% MFN, US)	USD 1,130–1,460
ISF filing	USD 50–75
Customs entry / ISF	USD 200–350
Destination port handling	USD 300–600
Total landed	USD 15,730–20,550

For EU buyers, the MFN duty is 0% (GSP) for Brazilian origin, reducing the total landed cost by approximately USD 1,100–1,500 per container versus the US calculation.

For Australian buyers, the MFN duty rate is 0% for most structural panel HS codes from Brazil. Transit to Sydney runs 28–33 days from Paranaguá.

---

Price trends: 2023 → 2025

Year	CDX 18mm index (USD/m³ FOB)	Annual change
2023 H1	290–340	–
2023 H2	270–310	–8%
2024 H1	255–295	–6%
2024 H2	245–285	–4%
2025 H1	220–270	–7%

Prices have softened from the 2022–2023 peaks driven by demand normalisation post-COVID and easing freight rates. The downward trend is moderating — veneer and resin cost inflation provides a floor, and several smaller Brazilian mills have exited the market since 2023.

---

How to request a firm quote

To get an actionable FOB quote from a Brazilian supplier, include:

1. Product specification: grade, thickness, panel size (1220×2440mm or 1525×3050mm), number of plies if critical
2. Certification requirements: CARB P2 (US), EN 636 class (EU), AS/NZS 2270 (AU), FSC (if required)
3. Quantity: full container(s), specify 20'DC or 40'HC
4. Loading port: Paranaguá preferred unless you have a reason to specify otherwise
5. Target ETD: your preferred loading month
6. Incoterm: FOB, CFR, or CIF

The minimum standard order is one 40-foot high-cube container. Quotes are typically valid for 7–15 days given exchange rate exposure.

---

Related reading

Plywood Grades Explained: CDX, A/B, B/B, Film Face · Pine Plywood vs OSB: Structural Comparison · Import Duties on Plywood: USA, EU, UAE & Australia · How to Vet a Brazilian Timber Supplier · Pine Plywood · CDX Plywood

Request a FOB quote →