US Dollar Exchange Rates of 13th March 2010
China Yuan 6.8267
Report from China
Timber output improves
Output of the Chinese timber sector was seriously affected
by the global economic turmoil. However, business
conditions have improved since the second quarter of 2009
mainly due to measures taken by the Chinese government
to stimulate domestic demand. Though the value of trade
in 2009 did not recover to the same level as in 2008, it
never-the-less rose on a quarterly basis.
Exports of forest products increase
Statistics from China’s Customs show that 2009 exports of
forest products, including paper and paper products,
plywood, fiberboard and other wood products did not
recover to the level of the previous year. The exception
was wooden furniture for which export values rose 9.2
percent. Analysis of the data for each quarter shows that
export levels are gradually improving.
Log imports from NZ jump
Log imports in 2009 totaled 28 million cubic metres,
valued at US$4,087 million, down 5 percent in volume
and 21 percent in value from 2008. Of the total, imports of
softwood logs were 20.3 million cubic metres, up 9
percent, imports of hardwood logs were 7.76 million cubic
metres, down 30 percent; imports of tropical logs were
only 6.1 million cubic metres, down 15 percent from 2008.
In 2009 the proportion of Russian logs fell 10 percent to
53 percent, whereas, log imports from New Zealand rose
131 percent.
Eleventh 5yr Plan success
In the Eleventh Five Year Plan for the Forest Industry
compiled by the State Forest Administration (SFA), the
total value of output in the forestry industry by the end of
the plan period was to reach RMB 1.2 trillion. The latest
data shows that this goal was realised, ahead of time in
2008.
The value of output has grown at double-digit rates for
nine years in succession. According to conservative
estimates the value of output in the sector for 2009, when
the final data becomes available, could amount to
RMB1.58 trillion, up 9.8 percent over 2008.
According to a new development objective put forward at
the National Forestry Conference held recently, the output
value of the forestry sector in 2010 could reach RMB1.7
trillion.
Forest Industries in western provinces
It is reported that the 2009 output values of the forestry
sector in the Western provinces of Sichuan, Yunnan,
Guizhou and Guangxi could be RMB 85 bil., 25 bil., 40
bil. and 82 bil. respectively. This represents around 6
percent of the GDP in each province. The contribution to
GDP even reached as high as 11 percent in Guangxi.
The Forestry sector has become a key industry in the
provinces of Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan and Guangxi.
In some economically better developed provinces, such as
Guangdong, Jiangsu, Shandong, and Zhejiang, the output
value of forestry industry amounted to RMB 141.9 bi.,
RMB113.6 bil., RMB99 bi. and RMB146.3 bil.
representing 3.6 percent, 3.3 percent, 2.9 percent and 6.4
percent of GDP of each province, respectively.
Daxing’anling growing stock
According to the latest statistics, the growing stock in the
Daxing’anling forest area is currently estimated at 887.3
million cubic metres. Over the past fifty years, the forests
of Daxing’anling in Inner Mongolia have provided a total
of 180 million cubic metres of timber to the nation.
Following implementation of Natural Forest Protection
Programme in 1988, the annual forest harvest in this area
was reduced from the 3.8 million cubic metres in 1997 to
2.3 million cubic metres in 2009.
Industry Projects in Guangxi
The China-ASEAN Forest Industry Logistic Park and the
Gaofengwuzhou M/H Density Fiberboard plant in
Nanning, Guangxi Autonomous Region were both opened
recently.
The Park is a joint investment by Guangxi Forestry Group,
Gaofeng Forest Farm and Huayu Investment Co., Ltd. The
investment was reported at RMB 3 billion and is expected
to generate RMB 560 million annually and provide about
5,000 jobs.
With RMB250 million invested by Kezhou Wood-based
Panel Co., Ltd, and the new fibreboard plant is expected to
generate RMB315 million in sales annually at full
production. This plant will reportedly use 230,000 tonnes
of logging residues and small sized timber and will create
200 jobs.
Wooden furniture in Kunshan
According to statistics from the Customs in Kunshan,
Jiangsu Province, furniture worth some US$50 million
was exported in January from Kunshan City. This
represents an increase of more than 100 percent over the
same period in 2008.
With more than 80 wooden furniture enterprises, Kunshan
ranks top for exports in the Province. Of the exported
wooden furniture, exports of seats (sofas) ranked fourth in
the country. Wood products from Kunshan were exported
to more than 60 countries.
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