China Wood Products Prices

1-15th February 2005

2004 Trade in Forest Products  

According to the latest statistics from China Customs, China's trade in forest products increased in 2004. In terms of import trends, log and sawnwood imports were up but plywood imports were the much same as 2003. Imports of wood pulp and waste paper increased rapidly, but imports of veneer and fiberboard showed a remarkable downward trend.  

Exports of plywood increased significantly in 2004 and exports of wooden furniture remained strong but exports of sawnwood fell 

Log imports 

In 2004, log imports have been recorded by customs at 26.244 million cubic metres valued at US$ 2.797 billion, a year on year increase of 3.1% in volume and 14.3% in value. Of the total, coniferous log imports amounted to 15.962 million cubic metres worth US$ 11.658 million, a year on year increase of 6.6% in volume and 23.7% in value. Hardwood log imports came to 10.282 million cubic metres valued at US$ 16.313 billion, a year on year decrease of 1.9% in volume and increase of 8.3% in value.  

Sawnwood 

In 2004, China imported 6.004 million cubic metres of sawnwood valued at US$ 1.381 billion, a year on year increase of 8.9% in volume and 16% in value. Of the total, coniferous sawnwood imports amounted to 1.670 million cubic metres worth US$ 280.715 million, a year on year increase of 23.8% in volume and 34.2% in value. Hardwood sawnwood imports came to 4.304 million cubic metres valued at US$ 1.100 billion, a year on year increase of 4% in volume and 12.1% in value.  

Of the total hardwood logs, imports of North America hardwood were 62,000 cubic metres valued at US$ 24.528 million, a year on year increase of 147% in volume and 157.5% in value.

Plywood 

In 2004, China imported 780,000 cubic metres of plywood, a year on year fall of just under 1% in volume, but the import value reached US$ 377.476 million, a year on year increase of 8.7%.

 Veneer and Fiberboard  

In 2004, imports of veneer and fiberboard fell. Veneer imports stood at 1.16 million cubic metres valued at US$ 109.655 million, a year on year decline of 31% in volume but an increase of 14.6% in value. Fiberboard imports were 812,000 cubic metres valued at US$ 272.349 million, a year on year drop of 17% in volume. 

Wood Pulp and Waste Paper 

In 2004, imports of wood pulp and waste paper continued to show growth. Wood pulp imports stood at 6.568 million tons valued at US$ 3.234 billion, a year on year increase of 21.8% in volume and 35.1% in value. Waste paper imports were 12.301 million tons valued at US$ 1.726 billion, a year on year increase of 31.1% in volume and 40.2% in value. 

Forest Product Export 

In 2004, plywood exports grew strongly. China exported 4.291 million cubic metres of plywood valued at US$ 1.245 billion, a year on year increase of 110.2% in volume and 151.1% in value. In addition, wooden furniture exports also showed rapid growth with exports of wood furniture valued at US$ 3.681 billion, a year on year increase of 29.6%.  

Results of National Forest Inventory 

The News Office of State Department in China recently released the results of the sixth national forest resources inventory (1998~2003). The report shows that the forest area is 175 million hectare, the forest coverage is 18.21%, the forest growing stock is 12.456 billion cubic metres, the preserved area and growing stock of plantation are 53 million hectares and 1.505 billion cubic metres respectively.  

The area of plantation is said to be the largest in the world. Mr. Lei Jiafu, vice-president of State Forestry Administration, is on record as saying that the inventory results showed the forest resources of China continue to increase.  He also commented on the quality of the resource saying there had been some improvement.  

The inventory results showed the main characteristics of forest resources change were as follows: 

The forest area increased by 15.968 million hectares and the forest coverage reaches 18.21% up from 16.6% at the last count.  

The growing stock has increases and continues to improve to help meet the growth in consumption. The annual average increment is reported at 178 million cubic metres.   

The quality of stands has been improved. The number of trees per hectare has reportedly increased by 72 giving a 2.59 cubic metre boost to growing stock per hectare. The report notes growth in the area of broad-leaved forest and mixed conifer and broad-leaved forest increase by 3.  

The species mix is changing for the better. The area of protection forest and special purpose forest has increased by 21% since the last national inventory and the forestry development strategy, which give priority to ecological rehabilitation, has had some success.  

The ownership and investment structure in forestry has tended to become more diversified. The area of private forest now accounts for around 20% of the total forest area and 41% of the total of plantations.  

The report says the potential for forestry development is considerable. The pace of growth in afforestation has meant that some 8 million more hectares have been established since 2001 and the area of young to mid age forests accounts for 68% of the total forest area..  

However, Mr. Lei Jiafu pointed out that the problem of forest resources protection and development was still a serious issue that needs constant attention. Firstly, the total forest resource is insufficient to meet demand. China's forest cover is only around 61% of the world average and is only the 130th in the world.  

Per capita forest area in China is just 0.132 hectares, less than one fourth the average of the world average.  Per capita forest stock is reported as 9.421 cubic metres, less than one sixth the world average.  

In addition, the distribution of the forest is not balanced. The forest coverage is 34.27% in the east of China, 27.12% in mid China, 12.54% in the west, and only 5.86% in the five provinces in the northwest where the land area accounts for 32.19% of the total in China.  

The report also says the quality of forest is not high. The average growing stock per hectare is only 84.73 cubic metres, or 85% of the world average putting China 84th in the world. The report also says the management of plantation is not high and the species mix should be more diverse.  

Finally the report says that the loss of forest land is still serious. There apparently some 10.107 million hectares of forest land which had been converted to non-forest uses since the last national inventory. Also, says the report, over harvesting is still very serious.  

Officials report that it took five years to finish the sixth national inventory of forest resources and that the State Forestry Administration allocated about 2 000 staff to the task at a cost of Yuan 610 million.  

Check on Cutting Quota  

It has been reported that the State Forestry Administration organized an check on the implementation of the forest logging quota in 24 provinces (region and municipality) and 31 counties and bureaus.  

The result of the inspection indicate that over cutting on a large scale is being controlled. In the 31 counties checked the total cut had not exceeded that of the plan. In only one unit was the planned cut exceeded. 

Overall the report shows that there has been a decline in the number of instances of over-cutting.  The management procedures for issuing timber logging certificates have been tightened. Compared to the situation in 2002, the incidence of reports of over-cutting declined by about 7%.

Tropical timber imports through Zhang Jia Gang 

Although total imports of logs through Zhang Jia Gang port fell during 2004 tropical timber imports through Zhang Jia Gang remained number one in China for 2004. According to recently released statistics, Zhang Jia Gang Port handled imports of 2.717 million cubic metres of timber valued at US$ 500 million, a year on year decline of 28.2% in volume.  

Import arrived from Oceania (Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and New Zealand), Southeast Asia (Malaysia and Myanmar) and Africa (Gabon, Cameroon, Congo and Equatorial Guinea).  

Of the total log imports, Oceania and Southeast Asia accounted for about 76%.  Imports from Africa grew and the species mix was more diverse than in 2003. In addition there were more high quality, large diameter decorative timbers imported.  

According to, still incomplete statistics, the number of tree species imported through Zhang Jia Gang Port has reached almost 300. 

Guangzhou City Imported Timber Market  

 Shanghai Furen Wholesale Market 

Hebei Shijiangzhuang Wholesale Market  

Shandong De Zhou Timber market  

Tian Jin City Huan Bo Hai timber Market  

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