The Globe and Mail reports in its Saturday edition that analysts say U.S. duty rates imposed on the lumber from Canada could double in 2025 because Washington holds the upper hand in the long-running battle. The Globe's Brent Jang writes that Canadian lumber producers are still seeking to remove trade barriers in the softwood fight, which dates back to the early 1980s. However, the influential U.S. Lumber Coalition has been an effective lobby group over the decades, winning political backing from federal U.S. senators and members of the House who are keen to protect sawmill jobs in rural areas in softwood-producing states. The lingering dispute revolves around U.S. restrictions on Canadian sales of softwood to American buyers. The United States believes that the measures are necessary to protect its lumber industry, because Canadian forests are mostly on public land. The U.S. Department of Commerce is expected to release its next preliminary duty rates on lumber in early May, or 90 days later than originally planned. Its sixth administrative review is based on lumber markets in 2023, when prices were low. Analysts say U.S. duty rates imposed on Canadian softwood could double in 2025 and reach nearly 30 per cent.