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Japan Wood Products Prices

01-15th August 2010


Japan Wood Products Prices

Dollar Exchange Rates of  12th Aug 2010

Japan Yen 85.91

Reports From Japan


 

 Consumer confidence slides in July
July consumer confidence level declined from the level recorded in June 2010. Before this, consumer confidence had risen since the beginning of 2010.

During the last couple of months, the Japanese Yen has appreciated sharply against the US dollar. This has had the effect of making Japanese exports more expensive in dollar terms and Japanese imports cheaper. In addition, the developed economies’ slow recovery from the global financial crisis is affecting Japan’s exports and undermines job creation and consumer sentiment.

Sarawak’s efforts to meet JFA guidelines
According to some sources, the Sarawak Chain-of-Custody (CoC) has been approved by the Japanese Forestry Agency (JFA) to meet their Guideline for Verification on Legality and Sustainability of Wood and Wood Products. However, this is not the case as JFA does not make any country CoC evaluation.

In July, at the meeting between the Sarawak Timber Association (STA) and the Japan Lumber Importers' Association (JLIA) in Sarawak, JLIA recognised that the Sarawak CoC could be used as evidence of legal timber. The recognition was based on the JFA Guidelines requesting the timber suppliers to have responsibility on timber sources with some evidence of using a verification method including Forest Certification System and Chain of Custody System.

However, since Japan is requesting a recognised forest certification for wood and wood product imports, it is important for Sarawak to also obtain forest certification for her timber products.

High demand for sawn softwood in Japan
EUWID reports that demand and prices for sawn softwood imports in Japan rose significantly during the first seven months of 2010. Especially high quality assortments have been in strong demand.

However, the supply of sawn softwood to Japan has been limited as the demand in Europe has also improved and ocean freight costs have been rising due to shortage of containers in the first half of 2010.

The low supply of sawn softwood products is causing hard time for Japanese gluelam manufacturers as there is no readily available alternative source of raw materials, says EUWID.

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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  Plywood grades. Letter(s) on the left indicate face veneer(s), those on the right backing veneer(s). Veneer grade decreases in order B, BB, C, CC, etc. MBF           1000 Board Feet          
              Plywood   MDF           Medium Density Fibreboard
BF         Board Foot F.CFA         CFA Franc        
Sq.Ft     Square Foot  PHND             Pin hole no defect grade
Hoppus ton     1.8 cubic metres              Price has moved up or down

Source: ITTO'  Tropical Timber Market Report


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