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Japan Wood Products Prices Dollar Exchange Rates of 2th Dec 2010 Japan Yen 83.89 Reports From Japan
In 2009, log production in Sabah totalled 4.3 million cu.m. This year, production is far less at 1.3 million cu.m in the first six months of 2010. As a result of low supply and aggressive sourcing by Chinese companies, log prices tend to rise. In addition, the rainy season is expected to further curtail log supply, reports JLR. In Sabah, kapur log prices fetched US$270 per cu.m, up US$2-3 per cu.m from October. Sabah keruing log prices stood at US$247 per cu.m for regular and US$270-280 per cu.m for sawmill quality (diameter 70-80 cm & up). Sarawak kapur log prices reached US$300 per cu.m as a result of active buying for the Indian market. Sales prices for imported plywood profits remain low The average market price for imported 3x6 concrete formboard is Yen 880-900 per sheet delivered. Prices for 3x6 coated concrete formboard are at Yen 1,030 per sheet and for 2x6 at Yen 730-740 per sheet, Yen 10-20 per sheet and Yen 20 per sheet lower compared to October respectively. Sharp fall of plywood imports from Malaysia September plywood imports amounted to 267,800 cu.m, an increase of 9.1% from September last year, but 5% lower than August 2010 imports. However, compared to September last year, only imports from Malaysia have dropped (-12.7), while imports from other producer countries like Indonesia soared (37.7%). Tight log supply situation is the reason for the declining plywood imports from Malaysia. In addition, Japanese importers are restraining their purchases as the future market in Japan remains uncertain. The downward trend in imports from Malaysia is expected to continue through the fourth quarter of 2010, reports JLR.
Japanese timber industries against Trans Pacific Partnership According to JLR, the National Council for Forest Products Trade Measure, consisting 22 forest and wood industry groups, voted against joining the TPP. The Council insists that liberalisation of the timber trade would have serious impacts on the domestic wood and timber product industry. In addition, the Council claims that the TPP would be against the Policy on Revitalisation of the Timber Sector in Japan aimed at promoting development and employment through increasing the use of domestic wood. Current import duties on forest products are 4.8% for softwood lumber from North America and Europe, radiata pine lumber from New Zealand and Chile, whitewood and red pine lumber from Russia, 2.6-7.9% for particleboard and OSB, 8.5-10% for tropical hardwood plywood, and 6% for laminated lumber. Joining the TPP would result in stiffened competition between domestic and imported timber products in the Japanese market. Housing starts projected to pick up In the fiscal 2010-11, owner’s units, rental units, and units for sale are forecast to increase 5.6%, 0.2%, and 20.7% over the previous year respectively. For 2011-12, projected increases are 7.9% for owner’s units, 6% for rental units, and 7.6% for units for sale. Merger of building material and home appliance companies New eco flooring product launched Asahi Woodtec has a local partner in Indonesia supplying raw material for over 30 years. The partner owns certified meranti plantations in which 17 metres of natural forests are left between each planted tree line. Under this method, 200 trees can be planted per hectare and the quality of plantation trees are close to that of meranti trees in natural forests. The partner company plants 200 hectares or 40,000 trees monthly and implements a harvest cycle of 25 years.
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Source: ITTO' Tropical Timber Market Report |
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