Japan Wood Products Prices

16-31th October 2007

Japan Wood Products Prices
Dollar Exchange Rates of  31th Oct.  2007
Japan Yen 117.29
Reports From Japan

Southsea log situation remains bearish
Japan Lumber Reports noted that demand for hardwood plywood from Japan remains low, resulting in minimal trading. At the same time, prices for imported hardwood plywood were unchanged. This was due in part to falling housing starts and traders’ attempts to reduce inventories. Prices of imported plywood were lower than for softwood domestic panels, although there was uncertain demand for softwood panels.

Sumitomo Forestry to use DNA tracing of wood products
Sumitomo will use DNA tracing to verify the origins of plantation wood from nurseries, logs and lumber to finished products to eliminate the need for a tracing document or other tag for identification. The company will create new business using this technique, which has the capability of identifying the origin of trees up to 50 years old and can also trace plywood and LVL. The technique has not been developed for the purpose of tracking timber from natural old growth forests or MDF and particleboard made from woodchips. Instead, it will be increasingly used for solid wood products from plantation forests, as less naturally grown trees are utilized.

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
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

Source: ITTO'  Tropical Timber Market Report