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China Wood Products Prices

01-15th November 2009


US Dollar Exchange Rates of  16th November 2009
China Yuan 6.8270
Report from China
 



Wood Products trade 2009
According to the latest statistics from China¡¯s Customs, in
the first three quarters of 2009 the total trade value of
China¡¯s major wood products amounted to just over
US$45 billion, down 6 percent from the same period of
last year. Of this, imports were US$20.6 billion, down 3
percent from the same period of last year; exports were
US$ 24.4 billion, down 9 percent.

Logs
China imported a total of 21million cu.m of logs in the
first three quarters of 2009 worth US$2.9 billion, down 10
percent in volume and 28 percent in value from the same
period of 2008. Of the total, softwood log imports were
15.3 million cu.m, valued at US$1.7 billion, up 7 percent
in volume and down 9 percent in value. Hardwood log
imports amounted to 5.6 million cu.m valued at US$1.3
billion, down 37 percent in volume and down 13 percent
in value. Tropical log imports were 4.3 million cu.m,
down 23 percent from the same period in 2008.

Log imports from Russia continue to dominate the trade
and imports were 11.4 million cu.m valued at US$1.3
billion, down 23 percent in volume and 33 percent in value
from the same period of 2008. The proportion of Russian
logs in China¡¯s total logs imports fell to 55 percent. The
other main suppliers of logs to China were New Zealand
(3.3 million cu.m, 15.7 percent), Papua New Guinea (1.1
million cu.m, 5 percent), Solomon Island (883,600 cu.m, 4
percent), Gabon (829,500 cu.m, 4 percent) and the USA
(510,300 cu.m, 2 percent).

Sawnwood
In the first three quarters of 2009, China¡¯s sawnwood
imports (including sleepers) were 7.0 million cu.m, worth
US$1.62 billion, up 34% in volume and 8%in value from
the same period of 2008.

Sawnwood sources were mainly Russia (2.27 million
cu.m, 32 percent), Canada (1.7 million cu.m, 24 percent),
Thailand (708,700 cu.m, 10 percent), the USA (640,100
cu.m, 9 percent), New Zealand (307,200 cu.m, 4 percent),
the Philippines (189,400 cu.m, 3 percent), Indonesia
(157,400 cu.m, 2 percent) and Malaysia (147,300 cu.m, 2
percent).

Price of imports drop
The global economic crisis is driving down prices for
commodities in international markets. The average CIF
price in China for imported logs was US$140 per cubic
meter, down 20 percent from US$175 per cu.m compared
to the same period of last year. The average price of
imported sawnwood was US$230 per cubic meter a drop
of around 20 percent from US$286 last year.

Wood-based panel
From January to September 2009 China¡¯s plywood
imports declined dramatically to just 125, 000 cu.m,
valued at US$63 million, down 46 percent in volume and
53 percent in value from the same period of last year.
Fiberboard imports were 230,500 tons, down 7 percent.
Particle board imports were rose to 222, 800 tons, valued
at US$ 66.7 million.

Wooden furniture trade
Wooden furniture imports were valued at US$220 million,
down 42 percent in value compared to the same period last
year. From January to September 2009, wooden furniture
exports earned US$8.22 billion a slight increase on 2008
figures.

Wooden furniture is still one of the main wood product
exports and the value of furniture exports accounted for
34% of the total value of all exported wood products in
first three quarters of 2009.

Wood-based panel exports
Exports of wood-based panels fell markedly during
January to September 2009. Plywood exports totaled 4.1
million cu.m earning US$1.8billion. This translates to a
fall of 31 percent in volume and 33 percent in value from
the same period of 2008. Fiberboard exports were down
36 percent in volume terms while particleboard exports at
only 56,800 tons were down 42 percent in volume.

Sawnwood exports
In the first three quarters of 2009 China¡¯s sawnwood
exports were 436,500 cu.m, worth US$271 million, down
20 percent in volume and 13 percent in value from the
same period of 2008.

Other wood product exports
China exported US$ 2.3 billion of other wooden products
during January to September of 2009, down 8.6£¥ from the
same period of 2008. These included wooden door and
windows and wooden flooring as well as wooden
tableware, kitchenware and craftwork products.

 

Abbreviations

LM        Loyale Merchant, a grade of log parcel  Cu.m         Cubic Metre
QS         Qualite Superieure    Koku         0.278 Cu.m or 120BF
CI          Choix Industriel                                                       FFR            French Franc
CE         Choix Economique                                                        SQ              Sawmill Quality
CS         Choix Supplimentaire      SSQ            Select Sawmill Quality
FOB      Free-on-Board     FAS            Sawnwood Grade First and
KD        Kiln Dry                               Second 
AD        Air Dry        WBP           Water and Boil Proof
Boule    A Log Sawn Through and Through MR              Moisture Resistant
              the boards from one log are bundled                      pc         per piece      
              together                      ea                each      
BB/CC  Grade B faced and Grade C backed MBF           1000 Board Feet          
              Plywood   MDF           Medium Density Fibreboard
BF         Board Foot F.CFA         CFA Franc        
Sq.Ft     Square Foot               Price has moved up or down

Source: ITTO'  Tropical Timber Market Report

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