US Dollar Exchange Rates of 15th Aug. 2006
China Yuan 8.002
Report from China
China exports more processed timber products
In the first half of 2006, China continued to expand the exports of (semi-) processed wood
products and reduce the imports of these products on the back of larger log imports.
Russia accounts for lion share of log imports
China's log imports reached 16.62 million m3 ($1.92 billion) in the first half of 2006, up
12.2% (up 18.1% in value) from the same period last year. Hardwood log imports accounted
for 37£¥ of the volume (54% of the value). Softwood and hardwood log imports were up
15.4% and 7.5%, respectively from the same period last year. Tropical logs imports were
3.69 million m3, accounting for almost 60% of the hardwood log imports,down 7.5% from last
year. Log imports came mainly from Russia (up 18%), accounting for 70.8% of the total log
imports. PNG was the largest supplier of tropical logs at just over 1 million m3 (6.3% of
the log imports).
China pays more for sawnwood imports
China's sawnwood imports amounted to 3.07 million m3 ($804 million) in the first half of
2006, up only 0.1% (up 10.9% in value) from the same period last year. This indicates that
the average unit price surged sharply $25.67 to $262.3 per m3. The figure below shows that
Russia plays a less dominant role in China¡¯s sawnwood imports as compared with log
imports.
Wood-based panel imports register sharp decline
Wood-based panel imports continued to decline in the first half of 2006, especially
plywood imports which fell 36% to 235,300 m3 (down 41% to $108 million). Fiberboard
imports followed suit declining 11.4% to 291,900 tons (down 12.4% to $98.36 million).
Imports of particle board rose 4.9% to 193,300 tons but its import value fell 0.5%. The
figure below shows that plywood came mainly from Indonesia (138,000 m3) and Malaysia
(60,800 m3).
Wood pulp and paper remain leading import products
Wood pulp, waste paper, paper, paper board and paper products remain the leading imported
wood products. In the first half of 2006, wood pulp imports surged 6.6% to 4.1 million
tons (up 12% to $2.11 billion) from the same period last year. Waste paper imports rose
20% to 9.87
million tons (up 12.3% to $1.35 billion). However, imports of paper and paper board and
paper products fell 16.6% to 2.33 million tons (down 6.4% to $2.07 billion).
Wooden furniture imports chalk fastest growth
Although China¡¯s wooden furniture imports are still negligible, their growth is the
fastest among all import wood products. China¡¯s furniture imports climbed 38% to $50.53
million in the first half of 2006.
Hefty surge in sawnwood exports
China¡¯s sawnwood exports (excluding sleepers) climbed 47% to 430,000 m3 (up 25% to $168
million) in the first half of 2006. Softwood sawnwood accounted for about 48.6% of the
exports. Paulownia sawnwood exports were 132,900 m3, accounting for 58% of the hardwood
sawnwood exports. China¡¯s main sawnwood export markets were Japan (211,500 m3, 49%),
the USA (63,400 m3, 15%), Korea (42,000 m3, 10%), Taiwan PoC (22,600 m3, 5%) and Australia
(22,100 m3, 5%).
Plywood exports soar to new highs
Plywood exports soared 30% to 3.5 million m3 (up 36% to $1.19 billion) in the first half
of 2006. China¡¯s major plywood export market was the USA with 1.05 million m3, 30% of
total plywood exports. Other markets were Japan (281,300 m3, 8%), Korea (232,300 m3,
6.6%), the UK (197,900 m3, 5.7%) and Taiwan PoC (167,000 m3,4.8%).
Exports of non-veneer wood-based panels, still comparatively minor, featured fast growth.
Fiberboard exports rose 26% to 608,800 tons (up 49% to $269 million) while particle board
exports surged 16% to 37,800 tons (up 28% to $11 million).
Wooden furniture exports clinch new record
Furniture remains China¡¯s leading export wood product. Exports of wooden furniture
surged 33% to $3.7 billion in the first half of 2006, a new record. China¡¯s wooden
furniture comprised 5 categories, namely wooden frame seats, office furniture, kitchen
furniture, bedroom furniture and other furniture. China¡¯s main wooden furniture markets
were the USA ($1.8 billion, accounting for 49.4% of the total wooden furniture exports),
Hong Kong S.A.R ($372 million, 10%), Japan ($264 million, 7.2%), the UK ($199 million,
5.4%) and Australia ($157
million, 4.3%).
Paper/paperboard products come in strong second
Paper and paperboard, paper pulp, paper and paperboard products are China¡¯s second
largest export wood products after wooden furniture. In the first half of 2006,the export
of these products climbed 36% to 2.19 million tons (up 18% to $2.04 billion).
China to lease 1 million ha of Siberia woodland
The Russian Forest Agency Rosleskhos and the Chinese State Forest Administration (CSFA)
are discussing possible forestry pilot projects for the exploitation of 1 million ha of
woodlands by Chinese companies in the Siberian regions of Chita, Tyumen, and Tomsk, Euwid
informed. Within the scope of the pilot projects, Chinese investors through a forest
company in Siberia would lease 1 million ha of woodlands for log harvesting and
processing. Rosleskhos would expect a total investment of $1 billion, including the
construction of a chemical pulp mill. The forest areas would be auctioned to companies by
the local governments.
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