Logs & Lumber, Wood Products Prices Index

International Log & Sawnwood Prices

16-30th September 2004

International Log Prices

Sarawak Log Prices

FOB per Cu.m

Meranti SQ up US$180-185

small US$140-145

super small US$120-125

Keruing SQ up US$170-175

small US$140-145

super small US$110-115

Kapur SQ up US$140-145

Selangan Batu SQ up US$140-145

Francophone West African Log Prices

Sapelli prices are well down, having lost around US$30 per cubic metre over the past month. Demand for Ayous is reported as very good as is demand for Moabi.

Movingui prices are reported as weakening in the Asian markets, but are still said to be firm in Europe, which is the reverse for Limba where Asian demand is good.

FOB LM B BC/C

Euro per Cu.m

Afromosia/Assamela 381 350 -

Acajou/N'Gollon 206 191 -

Ayous/Obeche 175 160 106

Azobe 168 145 114

Bibolo/Dibtou 152 114 -

Movingui 206 190 175

Fromager/Ceiba 114 114 -

Iroko 351 320 241

Limba/Frake 137 114 99

Moabi 244 221 206

Padouk 206 206 -

Sapelli 229 213 190

Sipo/Utile 274 259 -

Tali 144 129 91

Doussie 457 335 274

Gabon Okoume

Grade per Cu.m

CI US$150

CE US$122

CS US$95

QS US$176

Okoume for China

40% CI, 40% CE, 20% CS US$200 (Free alongside)

Myanmar

Teak Logs

Veneer Quality FOB per Hoppus Ton

July August

2nd Quality No sale Euro 4104

2 tons

3rd Quality Euro3667 Euro 3548

4 tons 3 tons

4th Quality Euro3314 Euro 3180

39 tons 65 tons

Sawing Quality per Hoppus Ton

Grade 1 Av. Euro 1938 Euro 1995

212 tons 195 tons

Grade 2 Av. Euro1662 Euro 1645

335 tons 230 tons

Grade 3 Av. Euro 769 Euro 755

331 tons 610 tons

Grade 4 Av. Euro 1095 Euro 1110

481 tons 635 tons

Assorted Av. Euro 784 730

317 tons 49 tons

Papua New Guinea

In September 2004, wet weather in the major logging areas severely restricted log production. In August 2004, PNG exported 135,351 cubic metres of logs to China, India, Japan, Korea and Vietnam at an average price of US$58 per cubic metre.

China was the major market, taking 52% of the logs, followed by Japan taking 20%, Vietnam 17%, India 7% and Korea taking 4%.

The main grade of exported logs (67%) was saw/veneer grade (91,145 cubic metres). Of that log grade, the predominant species exported in August were, in order, malas, calophyllum, taun, PNG Mersawa, dillenia, terminalia, erima, pencil cedar, red canarium, burckella, canarium, PNG walnut and kwila.

Interestingly, 27% of PNG's log exports in August 2004 were of plantation grown timbers. Species exported were teak, in the price range US$165-215 per cubic metre FOB ; terminalia, in the price range US30-50 per cubic metre FOB and Eucalyptus deglupta (kamarere), in the price range US$31 to 52 per cubic metre FOB. However, analysts say that this business is not expected to continue as PNG has limited mature plantation resources.

Saw/veneer grade

Monthly Average FOB per Cu.m

Malas US$60

Calophyllum US$75

Taun US$73

Terminalia US$60

Pencil Cedar US$75

PNG Mersawa US$82

Red Canarium US$58

Erima US$59

Dillenia US$57

Burckella US$59

Domestic Log Prices

Brazil

During September, prices on the domestic market remained stable despite a strengthening of the Real by around 3% against the US Dollar. The supply/demand imbalance for pine logs continues and is likely to remain and this is contributing to the increase in prices of pine wood products on the domestic market.

Prices for tropical logs were stable during September as this is a dry month, allowing uninterrupted harvesting.

Logs at mill yard per Cu.m

Mahogany Ist Grade No Sales

Ipe US$71

Jatoba US$45

Guaruba US$31

Mescla(white virola) US$38

The consumer price index (Expanded National Index of Prices to the Consumer IPCA) moved up 0.69% in August, but still remains 24% below July's rate (0.91%), the highest percentage change this year. With August result, the IPCA to date would equate to an annual inflation rate of just over 5%, lower than the 7% in 2003.

The Brazilian Central Bank raised the prime interest rate from 16% to 16.25% recently. The rate had not been changed since April 14 this year, when the Bank decided to lower the rate from 16.25% to 16%.

The decision by the Bank to raise interest rates back to April levels is due to the inflation threat caused by the domestic industry recovery.

Indonesia

Domestic log prices per Cu.m

Plywood logs

Face Logs US$80-95

Core logs US$55-70

Sawlogs(Meranti) US$90-100

Falkata logs US$90-95

Rubberwood US$80-90

Pine US$95-100

Mahoni US$500-515

Peninsula Malaysia

Logs

Domestic (SQ ex-log yard) per Cu.m

DR Meranti US$190-200

Balau US$165-175

Merbau US$215-220

Rubberwood US$75-85

Keruing US$175-185

Ghana

per Cu.m

Wawa US$36-44

Odum US$77-175

Ceiba US$31-53

Chenchen US$33-88

Mahogany

(Veneer Qual.) US$49-176

Sapele US$55-154

Makore

(Veneer Qual.) US$55-154

International Sawnwood

Francophone West Africa

FOB per Cu.m

Okoume Euro

FAS GMS 266

Standard and Better 251

FAS Fixed Sizes 297

Sipo

FAS Standard Sizes 640

FAS Fixed Sizes 670

Sapelli

FAS 487

Dibtou

FAS Standard Sizes 381

FAS Fixed Sizes 412

Iroko

FAS GMS 548

Scantlings 487

Strips 274

Khaya

FAS GMS 398

Brazil

Tropical sawnwood, exports were US$338.5 million in the January-August period. When compared to the same period of last year, tropical sawnwood exports in 2004 are, so far, 46% up (US$ 232.2 million).

In the first eight months of 2004, pine sawnwood exports reached US$195.8 million, 16% higher than the same period of 2003 (US$168.1 million).

FOB Belem/Paranagua Ports

Export Sawnwood per Cu.m

Mahogany KD FAS FOB

UK market no trade

Jatoba Green (dressed) US$525

Cambara KD US$420

Asian Market(green)

Guaruba US$240

Angelim pedra US$270

Mandioqueira US$190

Pine (AD) US$125

Malaysia

Sawn Timber

Export(FOB) per Cu.m

White Meranti A & Up US$325-330

Seraya

Scantlings (75x125 KD) US$655-665

Sepetir Boards US$185-195

K.Sesendok 25,50mm US$370-380

Ghana

FOB Euro per Cu.m

Afromosia 855

Asanfina 480

Ceiba 180

Dahoma 300

Edinam 360

Khaya 480

Makore 449

Odum 580

Sapele 480

Wawa 300

Peru

As a consequence of supply problems prices for Mahogany's and Cabre uva are increasing in all the markets. Prices for Mahogany sawnwood (25 and 50mm thickness) in the North American market have reached US$1,300.00 and US$ 1,380.00 per cubic metre. For Central America markets the price is at US$1,230.00 and US$1,250.00 per cubic metre.

Cabre Uva (Santos mahogany) fetches a higher price than Mahogany at US$1380 (25mm) and US$1430 (50mm) per cubic metre in the Chinese market. The Peruvian trade has said that it would not be a surprised if there is a further increase in international prices for Mahogany and Cabre Uva.

For US Market per Cu.m

Mahogany 1C&B, KD 16%

Central American market US$1220-1250

Mahogany 1C&B, KD 16%

US market US$1300-1380

Spanish Cedar No.1 C&B,

KD 16%,

Central Am. Market US$615-630

Walnut 1" Thickness,

6' - 11' length US$660-700

Spanish cedar # 1 C&B,

KD 16%

Mexican market US$630-650

Pumaquiro 25-50mm AD

Mexican market US$460-490

Virola 1" to 2"

Length 6' - 8' KD US$270-290

Lagarto 2" Thickness,

6' - 8' length US$345-365

Ishpingo 2"

Thickness 6' - 8' length US$365-385

The last two months the US dollar has been weakening against the nuevos soles. In June the exchange rate was 1: 3.45 nuevos soles but and by the end of September the rate had fallen to 1:3.30 nuevos soles.

This weakening of the US dollar affected exporter's earnings.

If the US dollar continues to weaken then Peruvian timber exporters say they will be forced to increase prices in order to cover operational costs in nuevos soles.

The impact of any price change would first be felt by Virola, hardwood and plywood importers. The producers say that priice structures for Mahogany and Spanish cedar would most likely be little affected as the margins can absorb the current level of change in domestic currency earnings.

Domestic Sawnwood Prices

Report from Brazil

Sawnwood (Green ex-mill)

Northern Mills per Cu.m

Mahogany No sales

Ipe US$305

Jatoba US$221

Southern Mills

Eucalyptus AD US$107

Pine (KD) First Grade US$139

Report from Indonesia

Sawn timber, ex-mill

Domestic construction material

Kampar per Cu.m

AD 3x12-15x400cm US$200-210

KD US$280-290

AD 3x20x400cm US$305-315

KD US$320-330

Keruing

AD 3x12-15cmx400 US$225-230

AD 2x20cmx400 US$220-225

AD 3x30cmx400 US$230-235

Malaysia

Sawnwood per Cu.m

Balau(25&50mm,100mm+)

US$235-245

Kempas50mm by

(75,100&125mm) US$175-185

Rubberwood

25x75x660mm up US$235-240

50-75mm Sq. US$245-250

>75mm sq. US$255-265

Ghana

Sawnwood per Cu.m

Wawa 25x300x4.2m US$73

Emeri 25x300x4.2m US$70

Ceiba 25x300x4.2m US$53

Dahoma 50x150x4.2m US$138

Redwood 50x75x4.2m US$122

Ofram 25x225x4.2m US$136

Peru

per Cu.m

Mahogany US$1512-1522

Virola US$186-200

Spanish Cedar US$630-640

Catahua US$177-183

Tornillo US$357-365

Abbreviations

LM Loyale Merchant, a grade of log parcel	Cu.m Cubic Metre
QS Qualite Superieure	Koku 0.278 Cu.m or 120BF
CI Choix Industriel	FFR French Franc
CE Choix Economique	SQ Sawmill Quality
CS Choix Supplimentaire	SSQ Select Sawmill Quality
FOB Free-on-Board	FAS Sawnwood Grade First and
KD Kiln Dry	Second
AD Air Dry	WBP Water and Boil Proof
Boule A Log Sawn Through and Through	MR Moisture Resistant
the boards from one log are bundled	pc per piece
together	ea each
BB/CC Grade B faced and Grade C backed	MBF 1000 Board Feet
Plywood	MDF Medium Density Fibreboard
BF Board Foot	F.CFA CFA Franc
Sq.Ft Square Foot	Price has moved up or down

Source: ITTO