world news - 04.04.2003
China's Sawnwood Imports Climb
Recently released customs data shows that China imported 5,395,000 cubic
metres of sawnwood in 2002 worth US$1.156 billion, a year-on-year increase of
33.5% and 17.1% respectively. The proportion of coniferous timber continued to
increase while that of hardwood timbers further declined.
Imports of coniferous sawnwood totalled reached 1.189 million cubic metres,
accounting for 22% of imports and a year-on-year increase of 6.2 percent. The
proportion of hardwood timber ( 4,206,000 cubic metres ) fell to 78% from 84.2%
in 2001. However, this data confirms the still strong position of hardwoods in
Chinese imports.
While imports of tropical hardwood sawnwood continued to increase their
proportion in total hardwood sawnwood imports further declined.
China imported about 2,937,000 cubic metres of tropical hardwood sawnwood in
2002, a year-on-year increase of 15%. However the proportion of tropical
sawnwood in total hardwood sawnwood imports was 69.8% falling 5.3% compared to
2001 imports.
Import value increased, unit costs fell
Although the value of sawnwood imports in 2002 at US$ 1.156 billion increased by
17.1%, average CIF prices for sawnwood fell to US$ 214.2 from US$ 244.2 per
cubic metre due to the increase in the proportion of coniferous sawnwood imports
whose average CIF price was US$ 139.9 per cubic metre a fall of 12.3% on 2001
prices.
Sources of Sawnwood
The top five sawnwood supply countries in 2002 were Indonesia, USA, Thailand,
Russia and Malaysia. There were not any changes in the major supply countries,
but there were noticeable changes in ranking. The USA jumped to second from
third, Malaysia fell from second from fifth, Russia jumped to fourth from fifth.
The imports from the top five countries increased to varying degrees: Indonesia
(1,420,000 cubic metres ), up by 16.6%; USA (627 000 cubic metres ), up by
59.5%; Thailand (592 000 cubic metres), up by 77.8%; Russia (552 000 cubic
metres), up by 79.2%; Malaysia (489 000 cubic metres ), up by 14.3%.
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