The best practice to analyze how much wood is imported by product or by specific HTS code, or by country, take the following steps:
Example - Hardwood Plywood Imports
- Go to U.S. Department of Agriculture - Foreign Agriculture Service, Global Agricultural Trade System (GATS)
- From bottom left column: Under “Quick Query”, select "Imports – General"; Under "Product Group," select ex: “Hardwood plywood” (further under 'Forest Products'; Under "Partner", select “World Total”, then "Submit"
- The next screen gives you additional options. The only change here we recommend is under "Settings". Under "Include", change to "Top 20". This will reduce your report results and eliminate smaller trade numbers (those smaller numbers will be grouped as "other"). Click "Retrieve Data"
- A very short report will appear below. Click on the “+” next to "World Total" or "Product" to reveal more information underneath it. You can learn what HTS numbers make up a grouping or which countries make up a number.
- Once you've delved as deep as you like, click "Other Formats". There, you can print, export direct into Word, Excel.
Please Note:
Flooring: The USDA provides separate product groups for "Hardwood Flooring, Softwood Flooring" and "Assembled Flooring Panels."
Full Trade: To run a report on all wood products (by product) imported into the U.S., select "Forest Products" in Step 2; follow rest of example.
