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International Log & Sawnwood Prices

16-30th November  2004


International Log Prices 

Sarawak     Log Prices  

FOB                     per Cu.m

Meranti SQ up              US$190-195

        small            US$160-165

        super small       US$130-135

Keruing SQ up              US$170-175

        small            US$140-145

        super small       US$110-115

Kapur SQ up         US$145-150

Selangan Batu SQ up       US$145-150

  

Francophone West African Log Prices

 No price changes for export logs have been signed during the month.  Buyers for China are still holding off from major purchases on the grounds they have high stocks of peeler logs as well as some of the higher density flooring timbers.   

In view of the slow purchases especially of okoume earlier in the year, many producers and exporters doubt that there is any significant overstocking in China and feel that buyers are restricting purchases in the hope of persuading exporters to lower prices.   As production volumes are normal to low there is no pressing reason for price reductions at this time and producers are firm on current price levels and are likely to continue to resist any downwards movement over the coming months.  

Log demand in Europe is reported as rather slow and unlikely to improve over the winter months. The European industry changeover, from log imports and domestic processing to imports of sawn and semi-processed lumber, is accelerating.  As the US dollar weakens this is favouring S. American sawnwood exporters to Europe especially for the harder and heavier species against the more usual West African azobe and okan.  

FOB                     LM  B      BC/C

                          Euro per Cu.m

Afromosia/Assamela       381       350  -

Acajou/N'Gollon     206  191  -

Ayous/Obeche              206       190  160

Azobe                   137  122       114

Bibolo/Dibtou        144  107  -

Movingui        190  175       145

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

              Sept        Oct

2nd Quality       Euro  4039       Euro 4069

                     3 tons 4 tons

3rd Quality       Euro  3785       Euro 3887

              4 tons              10 tons

4th Quality       Euro  3308       Euro 3286

              51 tons        83 tons

  

Teak Logs

Sawing Quality       per Hoppus Ton

Grade 1 Av.       Euro  1952       Euro 1915

              252 tons 295 tons

Grade 2 Av.       Euro  1492       Euro 1476

              195 tons 366 tons

Grade 3 Av.       Euro  770       Euro 775

              395 tons 475 tons

Grade 4 Av.       Euro  1040       Euro 935

              513 tons 477 tons

Assorted Av.       Euro  708       Euro 691

              2050 tons tons 2253

Domestic       Euro 546       Euro 533

              492 tons tons 877

  

ASEAN Integration 

ASEAN leaders have announced an agreement to accelerate the integration of some priority sectors, including the wood products sector, as part of the process to fast track the integration towards an ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) which ASEAN leaders want to see establish by 2020. The AEC is envisaged as a single market and production base allowing the free flow of goods, services, investment, skilled labor and a freer flow of capital.  

The 11 priority sectors are electronics, e-ASEAN, healthcare, wood-based products, automotives, rubber-based products, textiles and apparels, agro-based products, fisheries, air travel and tourism. These sectors were selected on the basis of comparative advantage in natural resource endowments, labour skills and cost competitiveness, and value-added contribution to ASEAN's economy.  

These selected sectors accounted for more than 50% of intra-ASEAN trade in 2003. In value terms, the priority sectors contributed US$48.4 billion and US$43.4 billion of intra-ASEAN exports and imports, respectively, in 2003. For more see http://www.aseansec.org/16621.htm  

 

Domestic Log Prices 

Brazil 

Logs at mill yard       per Cu.m

Mahogany Ist Grade     No Sales

Ipe                US$78

Jatoba                   US$48

Guaruba         US$34

Mescla(white virola)     US$41

 The federal government plans to create two major reserves in Riozinho do Anfr¨ªsio and Verde Para Sempre, in northern Brazil are progressing. The plan, if implemented, will add up to 2 million hectares of forest reserves in a region where timber production is already quite intensive.  

The timber sector is pressing for measures from the federal government to open further production forest areas as the planned reserves will mean reduction of the area for harvesting. 

Even before the announcement of the presidential decree establishing the two conservation units, the timber sector had discussed the creation of state and national forests oriented to sustainable timber production by means of forest concessions. Unofficially the indications were that 3 areas would be created, totaling 500,000 hectares.

 

Indonesia

Domestic log prices     per Cu.m

Plywood logs 

 Face Logs           US$90-100

Core logs              US$60-75

Sawlogs(Meranti)       US$105-115

Falkata logs           US$90-95

Rubberwood         US$85-95

Pine               US$95-100

Mahoni                 US$500-515

  

Peninsula Malaysia 

Logs

Domestic (SQ ex-log yard)  per Cu.m

DR Meranti          US$210-220

Balau                    US$175-180

Merbau          US$215-225

Rubberwood        US$85-90

Keruing         US$175-185

  

Ghana 

per Cu.m

Wawa                  US$36-44

Odum                   US$77-175

Ceiba                    US$3--53

Chenchen             US$33-88

Mahogany

(Veneer Qual.)              US$40-91

Sapele                  US$55-154

Makore

(Veneer Qual.)              US$54-154

 

International Sawnwood  

Francophone West Africa

 Very few price changes have been reported. Azobe prices are still weak with a further fall of euro 30 per cubic metre for sea defence and waterway sizes.  Stocks in Netherlands of 6 x 6 squares of the competing Angelim Vermeilho are said to be particularly high and, as production of azobe in Gabon has improved recently, there is additional downwards pressure on prices in this sector. 

Iroko sawnwood prices have increased again with FAS GMS moving up euro 30 per cubic metre to euro 458 per cubic metre fob and the indications are that prices are set to move higher due to the problems in Cote d' Ivoire which has removed a significant volume of Iroko from the market. 

Izombe FAS in fixed sizes also moved up euro 5 per cubic metre on improved demand. On the other hand sapele prices are unchanged as there is still relatively high log production in Congo Brazzaville and the Central African Republic. Overall, reports are that markets are only moderate to slow, production is at normal levels and producers not in the mood to concede lower prices, citing ever increasing costs and higher taxes.    

FOB                            per Cu.m

Okoume                Euro

FAS GMS                    275

Standard and Better            260

FAS Fixed Sizes              290

Sipo

FAS Standard Sizes              488

FAS Fixed Sizes              519

Sapelli                  

FAS scantlings                     487

Dibtou                        

FAS Standard Sizes              381

FAS Fixed Sizes              412

Iroko

FAS GMS                    458

Scantlings                    519

Strips                           304

Khaya

FAS GMS                    366

 

Brazil 

In the first ten months of 2004, exports of pine sawnwood totalled US$245.4 million, 16% higher than the same period of 2003. Tropical sawnwood exports were US$429.6 million in the January-October and this is an increase of 37% compared to the same period last year. 

FOB Belem/Paranagua Ports

Export Sawnwood           per Cu.m

Jatoba Green (dressed)              US$510

Cambara KD               US$410

Asian Market(green)

       Guaruba         US$240

       Angelim pedra             US$270

        Mandioqueira           US$190

Pine (AD)                    US$130

Aracruz Celulose has announced the signing of a contract with Weyerhaeuser group, through which the former sold to the North-American company its 66% share in Aracruz Produtos de Madeira S.A. (APM). The company said that the commercial strategy of APM in the domestic market will not change but export sales will be Weyerhaeuser's responsibility. 

The industrial plant of APM is located in the south part of the State of Bahia (northeast region of Brazil). The company's facilities have an annual production capacity of 44,000 cubic metres of eucalyptus lumber.  

Malaysia 

Sawn Timber

Export(FOB)             per Cu.m

White Meranti A & Up   US$325-330

Seraya

Scantlings (75x125 KD)  US$645-655

Sepetir Boards                US$185-195

K.Sesendok 25,50mm         US$350-360

  

Ghana 

The Ghana Export Promotion Council (GEPC) has honoured the timber company Samartex Timber and Plywood Ltd.  Samartex Ltd. won the Exporter of the Year Award for exporting plywood worth about US$10.1 million. 

Samartex Timber and Plywood Ltd., is one of the leading timber exporters in Ghana and produces air  Kiln dried Lumber, Sliced Veneer, Curls Veneer and Plywood.  For the period Jan-Sep2004, the company was the leading exporter.  

FOB              Euro per Cu.m

Afromosia             855

Asanfina        480

Ceiba                    180

Dahoma         310

Edinam                 370

Khaya                  520

Makore                 450

Odum                   610

Sapele                  480

Wawa       1C&Sel         245

The World Bank has reportedly granted Ghana US$2.5 million to provide loans to promote the establishment of sustainable enterprises within forest reserves in order to improve living standards of the people there. 

This news was given by the Eastern Regional Field Liaison Officer on Biodiversity of the Forest Services Division (FSD), Mr. Asiedu Okrah, during the inauguration of seven Community Forest Committees (CFC) and Community Biodiversity Advisory Groups (CBAGS) at Atimpoku in the Asuogyaman District.    

The various communities were asked to form business groups to be able to access loans to be given to groups to expand or undertake money making ventures that would help in the maintenance and protection of the forest reserves. 

The aim is to reduce the level of forest degradation by offering alternative sources of income to the people living in the forest.

 

Peru

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

 

Domestic Sawnwood Prices 

Brazil 

Domestic prices in Real were stable during November but the significant strengthening of the Real against the dollar (plus 4.5%) meant that domestic prices are up in dollar terms. The pace of production pace in the Brazilian solid wood industry is still high and export markets are the main target and are growing. On the other hand domestic demand has slowed. 

Sawnwood (Green ex-mill)

Northern Mills              per Cu.m

Mahogany             No sales

Ipe                US$329

Jatoba                   US$237

Southern Mills

Eucalyptus AD              US$115

Pine (KD) First Grade       US$147

 In October, the IPCA (Brazilian official inflation index) registered 0.44%, the first increase since July 2004 and the Monetary Policy Committee (COPOM) confirmed the financial market expectations and raised the prime interest rate to 17.25% per year in November.  The rate is up on that of 16.75% in October which was the highest since November 2003.  

Despite the complaints of manufacturers the Central Bank of Brazil is keeping to its target of 5.1% inflation for 2005.  

Rumors in the market about possible shortages of oil during winter in the northern hemisphere kept oil prices up and is impacting manufacturing costs. Financial analysts are projecting a 0.25% increase in the prime interest in Brazil for December. 

The Brazilian Real closed at 2.85 against the US Dollar at the end of October, a 1.4% strengthening compared to the rate in September. The devaluation of the US Dollar against other currencies and the high US public deficit were the main concerns of economists and government officials in the last days of November. Everyone now expects the real to close the month of November at around 2.80 to the dollar.  

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$185-195

Rubberwood

25x75x660mm up       US$235-240

50-75mm Sq.         US$245-250

>75mm sq.            US$255-265

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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

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Source: ITTO

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