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Japan
Wood Products Prices
Dollar
Exchange Rates of 15th February
2007
Japan
Yen 119.22
Reports
From Japan
Mills caught between rising log prices and soft ply prices
FOB prices for Southeast Asian logs remain high due to the rainy season while hardwood
plywood prices are weakening in Japan. Japanese plywood mills are caught in
between rising log prices and declining plywood sales prices. The depreciation of the yen against major
currencies complicates further the situation. Therefore, negotiations between log importers and plywood mills are
stalled. Importers are asking for ￥9,000 yen per koku CIF of Sarawak meranti regular logs arrived in last November
but plywood mills are resisting due to lower domestic plywood prices.
Housing starts grow for the fourth consecutive year
Total housing starts surged to 107,906 units in December, up 9.2% from a year ago (see chart). Growth was
supported by gains in rental and built-for-sale houses. Wood-based units accounted for 44% of the total housing
starts, up from 43% in the previous month. Wood structured houses increased for the fifteenth consecutive
month compared with one year earlier. Total new housing
starts reached 1.29 million in 2006, up 4.6% from 2005 and the fourth consecutive annual
increase. Wood based units accounted from 43% of the units in 2006.
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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
Plywood grades. Letter(s) on the left indicate
face veneer(s), those on the right backing veneer(s). Veneer grade
decreases in order B, BB, C, CC, etc. |
MBF
1000 Board Feet
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|
Plywood |
MDF
Medium Density Fibreboard |
| BF
Board Foot |
F.CFA CFA Franc
|
| Sq.Ft
Square Foot |
PHND
Pin hole no defect grade |
| Hoppus ton 1.8 cubic
metres |
 
Price has moved up or down |
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