world news - 20.08.2003
China: First Half Roundwood Trade
In the first half of 2003 the rank of suppliers changed. The top 5 suppliers of logs are Russia (7.201 million cubic metres, 56%, Malaysia (1.203 million cubic metres, 9.4%), New Zealand (931,000 cubic metres, 7.2%, Papua New Guinea (745,000 cubic metres, 5.8%) and Myanmar (524,000 cubic metres, or 4.1%).
Gabon fell to the sixth ranked supplier from the fourth last year and Myanmar climbed to the fifth from the seventh. It should be noted that Russian log exports fell by 4.8% in the first half but still Russia kept its first ranking. Log exports of the other four countries increased at a higher rate compared to the same period last year in contrast to Russian exports.
In the first half of 2003 imports were again dominated by coniferous logs and reached 7.42 million cubic metres, a year on year decline of 7%, accounting for 57.7% of total log imports.
Hardwood log imports, on the other hand, (5.4 million cubic metres) increased by 29% compared to the same period last year (4.21 million cubic metres). The main reason for soaring increase in hardwood log imports was that tropical hardwood logs imports increased dramatically. According to, as yet, incomplete statistics, log imports from seven countries alone (Malaysia, Papau New Guinea, Myanmar, Gabon, Liberia, Equatorial Guinea and Congo) totaled 3.8 million cubic metres, accounting for 70% of the total hardwood log imports.
During the first six months of 2003 China's logs imports totaled 12.85 million cubic metres, a year on year increase of only 5.4% valued at US$1.229 billion, a year on year rise of 16.3%. In terms of the growth of imports, volumes in the first half were 47% down on the same period last year while the growth in value terms was down just 4%.
See also:
- — China: First Half Sawnwood Trade
- — Brazilian Furniture Exports Set to Rise
- — Russian Japan Timber Trade
- — Finland: Sawn&Plywood Production
- — Pulp inventories increase