Cision Wire

Reduced log export tariffs in Russia unlikely to boost the country’s log export volumes back up to historic levels

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:15:40 GMT

Export tariffs on logs shipped from Russia, the world largest log supplier, are set to be reduced as the country becomes a member of the WTO. The proposed new lower tariffs are not expected to increase export volumes to pre-tariff levels, according to the Wood Resource Quarterly.

China is now the world’s largest importer of softwood lumber and logs despite a slowdown in imports during the 4Q/11

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:16:20 GMT

Reduced activities in the housing construction sector in China decreased importation of softwood logs and lumber in late 2011, reports the Wood Resource Quarterly. Despite the decline in the 4Q, total imports during 2011 reached a record high, making China the largest importer of logs and lumber in the world.

Wood chip exports from Latin America reached a record high in 2011, with pulp mills in Japan and Europe being the major export destinations

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:12:45 GMT

Global trade of wood chips has gone up substantially the past two years. Hardwood chip export from Chile, Uruguay and Brail was up 43 percent in 2011 compared to 2009, as reported by the Wood Resource Quarterly. A clear majority of the increase was Eucalyptus chips destined for pulp mills in Japan and Europe.

US woody biomass prices have dropped the past three years; west coast prices are the lowest in the country

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:45:25 GMT

Relatively low fossil fuel prices have reduced the demand and prices of woody biomass throughout the US the past three years, reports the North American Wood Fiber Review. The Pacific Northwest currently has the lowest biomass prices, slightly lower than the South, while the Northeast continues to have among the highest costs in the country.

New Zealand’s log exports to China account for one-third of the country’s timber harvest in 2011

Mon, 02 Jan 2012 17:57:31 GMT

Log exportation from New Zealand continues to rise at a record pace, with almost one-third of the country’s timber harvest being processed at sawmills in China. The high demand for logs from overseas has increased domestic sawlog prices to their highest levels in 15 years, according to the Wood Resource Quarterly.

Weaker lumber markets are causing global sawlog prices to fall for first time since early 2009

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:57:22 GMT

Slowing lumber markets throughout the world have resulted in declining sawlog prices in many of the major lumber-producing regions in Europe and North America, according to the Wood Resource Quarterly. The biggest price reductions occurred in Japan, Sweden, Poland and Russia.

The Global Sawlog Price Index reached a 16-year high in the 2Q/11; the biggest price increases occurred in Europe, Canada, Russia and New Zealand

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:28:36 GMT

Increased consumption of softwood lumber throughout the world has moved sawlog prices to new highs in 2011. The Global Conifer Sawlog Price Index (GSPI) reached a 16-year record high in the 2Q/11, with the greatest increases over last year’s prices occurring in Latvia, Poland, Japan, Russia and Germany, according to the Wood Resource Quarterly.

Exports of logs and lumber from the US and Canada to China are on pace to reach a record 2.6 billion dollars in 2011

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 19:51:48 GMT

The US and Canada have been exporting record volumes of logs and lumber to China in 2011. The Wood Resource Quarterly predicts that exports in 2011 will double those seen in 2010 to reach an estimated value of 2.6 billion dollars. Lumber shipments from Canada alone could reach 1.2 billion dollars this year. The North American share of log and lumber import volumes to China has increased from four percent in 2005 to 18 percent in 2010.

Wood fiber costs for the global pulp industry reach new highs in 2011 with the biggest increases seen in Russia, Finland and Western US

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 17:56:33 GMT

Wood costs account for about 60 percent of the production costs when manufacturing pulp for paper. According the Wood Resource Quarterly, wood fiber costs have gone up about 25 percent since early 2009, reaching record levels in the 2Q/2011.

Pulpwood prices in Western US were up almost 50 percent in 2Q/11 compared to 2Q/10, while wood prices were unchanged in the US South

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 23:26:28 GMT

Wood costs for pulp mills in Western US have increased over the past 12 months, reaching their highest level since early 2008 in the 2Q/11, reports the American Wood Fiber Review. Pulp mills in the US South have slightly lower wood costs than they did in 2010, and continue to have the lowest fiber costs in North America.