Japan Wood Products Prices
16-30th April  2004

Japan Wood Products Prices

Dollar Exchange Rates of  23th April  2004

Japan Yen 109 

Report From Japan

Import wood panel market  

The market for import tropical hardwood plywood, North American softwood plywood and OSB is reported as firming. Arrivals of imported panels continue to be low because of the relatively high prices being demanded by shippers driven by supply shortages. At the same time the Yen rate against the major currencies is fluctuating, first it shot up to 103 yen to the dollar, then the rate swung back down to 105. With FOB prices on the rise importers in Japan are hesitant to commit a wait and see mood prevails.

 Concrete formboard panels 3x6 for coating are in particularly tight supply and prices are now Yen 1,020 - 1,030 yen per sheet delivered Tokyo wholesalers.

 The current FOB prices are not attractive to Japanese buyers so that there are limited offers on 12 mm 3x6 JAS concrete formboard panel with the price range attractive to the Japanese market.  Offer prices are high as US$385-390 per Cu.m C&F. Offer prices for imported thin panels of 2.4 mm F 4star are now as high as US$550 per Cu.m C&F because of a shortage of quality logs to make thin plywood.

 The price for 2.4mm F 4star is Yen 310 yen per sheet and this price is firming. The prices of 12mm imported standard structural F 4star plywood are up Yen 20-40 at Yen 900-920 yen.

 Floor base panel prices are also firm as export offers are as high as US$500 per Cu.m although actual contracted prices are reported at about US$480. The price in the Japanese market is going to be about Yen 1,050-1,070 yen per sheet, Yen 50-70 yen higher than a month ago.

 Higher Prices Proposed

 Apkindo proposed higher panel prices in April for Japan the Japanese market. Apkindo sought US$425 per Cu.m C&F for 12 mm JAS concrete formboard, US$435 for 12 mm structural panel F 4star prime category and US$405 for 12 mm standard plywood F 3star second category. For Floor base panels they asked US$515 and US$505 for 2.4 mm F 3star.Finally Apkindo asked for US $485 for 5.2 mm F 4star.

 These prices are around US$25 higher across the board than the prices proposed March 15.

 In Indonesia log production normally increases after the rain season is over but this year log supplies to the mills continues to be tight mainly because of tighter control of harvesting and

Some confusion over the issue of annual harvest licenses in East Kalimantan.

 The log prices are rising sharply because of limited supply and are up by around US$20 per Cu.m. Also, ocean freight costs are on the rise which is also adding to the higher C&F cost. Freight rates are reportedly up by US$2 per Cu.m for April and another US$2 increase is anticipated in June.  

Logs For Plywood Manufacturing      

 April Wholesale Panel Prices

For more information on the Japanese market please
see www.n-mokuzai.com  

Source:ITTO