China’s log & lumber imports soar in 2010

Final year-end statistics show that China’s imports of logs and lumber have soared to new heights in 2010 as compared to 2009.reports International WOOD Markets Group. China imported 34.3 million m³ (US$ 6.1 billion) of logs in 2010, an increase of 22% by volume and 49% by value from 2009. Of the total log imports, softwood log imports were 24.3 million m³ (+20% as compared to 2009), while the hardwoods were 10.0 million m³ (+46%). China imported 14.7 million m³ of lumber (US$ 3.8 billion) in 2010, up 49% by volume and 65% by value over 2009.

These and other year-end statistics and analysis are featured in the just-released February issue of WOOD MARKETS’ monthly China Bulletin. Russian log exports to China were 5% lower in 2010 at 14 million m³. This was followed by New Zealand (5.9 million m3), USA (2.8 million m3), and Papua New Guinea (2.5 million m3). Log imports from New Zealand increased by 35% in 2010, reaching 5.9 million m3 and the log import volumes from US and Canada were up dramatically in 2010, or by 266% and 217%, respectively, compared with 2009.

China lumber imports increased in 2010 due to growing market demand for raw materials as well as to offset against decreasing log import volumes from Russia. A quickly recovering and expanding economic scenario in China during 2010 has created a bull market for exporters to China.

Russia still dominated lumber imports, supplying 4.4 million m3 in 2010 (+40% increase from 2009). This was followed by Canada (4.0 million m3; +65%), the USA (1.43 million m3; +54%), Thailand (1.41 million m3; +38%), and New Zealand (413,000 m3; -1%).

It is expected that Canada will overtake Russia in 2011 as the largest lumber supplier to China. In the last four months of 2010, Canada exceeded Russian export volumes for the first time and this trend is expected to continue in 2011.

Source: International WOOD Markets Group, http://www.woodmarkets.com/