Brazil residential wood and charcoal consumption hits lowest level since 2016

Residential consumption of wood and charcoal in Brazil has fallen for the third consecutive year, reaching its lowest level since 2016. According to data from the Empresa de Pesquisa Energética (EPE), there has been a cumulative 14% decrease in these energy sources since the peak in 2022.

In contrast, the consumption of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and natural gas has grown. Following a low point in 2023, combined gas consumption rose by 3.4% over the following two years. Economists suggest this shift is linked to the cost of gas canisters relative to household budgets. While real prices for 13kg gas canisters rose by 27.4% during the Bolsonaro administration, they decreased by 13.7% in 2025 under the Lula administration.

On a regional level, wood production in Ribeirão Pires saw a 6.7% decline in 2024, according to IBGE data. Despite the drop in volume, the economic value of wood production in the area rose to R$ 190,000 in 2025, up from R$ 148,000 the previous year.