US Dollar Exchange Rates of
25th
March
2020
China Yuan 7.0964
Report from China
Rise in 2019 sawnwood imports ¨C but not
tropical
sawnwood
According to data from China¡¯s Customs, 2019 sawnwood
imports totalled 38.11 million cubic metres valued at
US$8.591 billion, a year on year increase of 4% in volume
but a decline of 15% in value.
Of total sawnwood imports, sawn softwood imports rose
15% to 28.62 million cubic metres accounting for 57% of
the national total, down 11% on 2018.
Sawn hardwood imports fell 19% to 9.5 million cubic
metres because China¡¯s sawn hardwood imports from the
top sources, Thailand and USA, fell 19% and 44%
respectively.
Of total sawn hardwood imports, tropical sawnwood
imports were 6.05 million cubic metres valued at
US$2.126 billion, year on year a drop of 16% in volume
and 21% in value and accounted for about 25% of the
national total, up 5% on 2018 levels.
Decline in the average prices for sawnwood
The average price for imported sawnwood in 2019 was
US$225 per cubic metre, a year on year decline of 18%.
The average price for imported sawn softwood was
US$172 per cubic metre, down 14% year on year.
The average price for imported sawn hardwoods was
US$386 per cubic metre, a year on year decrease of 11%.
The average price for imported tropical sawnwood was
US$352 per cubic metre, down 5% year on year.
Rise in Russian sawn softwood imports
Russia was the main sawn softwood supplier to China in
2019 and China¡¯s sawn softwood imports from Russia
rose 9% to 17.03 million cubic metres and accounted for
60% of the national total, down 3% year on year.
In the meantime, China¡¯s sawn softwood imports from
Belarus, Germany, Sweden and Ukraine surged 393%,
349%, 136% and 101% respectively, however, imports
from the US fell 34% mainly due to the China-US trade
conflict.
Average prices for all sawn softwood suppliers fell
at
different rates. Average prices for imported sawn
softwood from Sweden and Germany declined 65% and
22% respectively.
Surge in sawn hardwood from Canada
China¡¯s 2019 sawn hardwood imports from the top
sources declined and hardwood imports from Indonesia
declined (44%). However, China¡¯s sawn hardwood
imports from Canada surged 56% to 170,000 cubic metres
and from the Philippines and Germany imports rose 18%
and 8% respectively.
China¡¯s tropical sawnwood imports from
Thailand
continue to decline
Thailand still is the main source of tropical sawnwood for
China and 2019 tropical sawnwood imports from Thailand
totalled 3.59 million cubic metres valued at US$1.038
billion, a year on year decline in volume of 19% and a
26% decline in vlaue. Thailand¡¯s market share for tropical
sawnwood exports to China was 59% but this was down
3% year on year.
The head of the Rubber Authority of Thailand, Nakorn
Takkavirapat, said many rubberwood entrepreneurs are in
financial difficulties because of a sudden drop in China¡¯s
imports due to the outbreak of Covid-19.
Most of Thailand¡¯s rubberwood exports are destined for
China The value of rubberwood exports in 2017 was
Bt49.44 million but the figure dropped to Bt29.4 million in
2019.
See:
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/regional/2020/03/25/thairubberwood-makers-in-crisis-as-chinese-market-evaporates
Eight countries supplied 91% of China¡¯s tropical
sawnwood requirements in 2019, namely Thailand (59%),
Gabon (9%), Philippines (6.3%), Brazil (4.9%), Malaysia
(3.4%), Indonesia (3.1%), Cameroon (2.4%) and Vietnam
(2.2%).
Tropical sawnwood imports from Myanmar, Mozembique
and Philippines rose 24%, 23% and 18% year on year
respectively but imports from Indonesia, Brazil, Malaysia,
Cameroon, Vietnam and Gabon fell 44%, 25%, 23%, 13%,
12% and 5% year on year respectively.
Except for slight increase of 2% in the average prices for
China¡¯s tropical sawnwood imports from Vietnam,
average prices for China¡¯s tropical sawnwood imports
from the top 10 countries generally declined but at
different rates in 2019 for example there was a 14%
decline in prices for sawnwood from the Philippines and
an 11% decline in prices for sawnwood from Indonesia.
 
|
