US Dollar Exchange Rates of 15th Feb. 2009
China Yuan 6.8397
Report from China
Moderate increase seen in China¡¯s forest products
trade during 2008
According to the latest statistical data issued recently by
the General Administration of China¡¯s Customs, the
foreign trade of China¡¯s forest products rose moderately in
2008, although trade was significantly impacted by the
global economic crisis. Statistics showed the total import
and export value of the forest sector¡¯s products (including
non-wood forest products) reached just over USD63
billion, a year-on-year increase of 9.6%. However, the
growth rate decreased by 12.9 percentage points from
2007. Of the total, the import value grew 14% to over
USD27 billion and the export value of forest products rose
6% to USD35.9 billion.
In 2008, the total foreign trade value of China¡¯s major
forest products accounted for 32% of the national total
value of the forest sector¡¯s output. Of the total, the export
value of China¡¯s forest products accounted for 18.5% of
total output value. The total value of China¡¯s major forest
product foreign trade represented 2.5% of the national
total in 2008, dropping 0.18% from 2007.
1.1 Imports
1.1.1 Logs
Log imports totaled 29.57 million m³ and were valued at
USD5.18 billion in 2008, down 20% by volume and 3%
by value from 2007. In terms of value, log imports ranked
third after pulp and waste paper. The imports of tropical
logs were 7.18 million m³, accounting for 24% of total log
imports, up 1.6% from 2007.
Russia remained the most important supplier of logs in
2008. China imported 18.67 million m³ of logs from
Russia, representing 63.1% of China¡¯s total logs imports.
Other significant suppliers in 2008 were Papua New
Guinea (2.23 million m³ and 7.5% of total imports), New
Zealand (1.91 million m³ and 6.5%), Solomon Islands
(1.16 million m³ and 3.9%) and Gabon (1.08 million m³
and 3.6%).
1.1.2 Sawnwood
Sawnwood imports totaled 7.18 million m³, valued at
USD2.039 billion in 2008, up 9.6 % by volume and 15 %
by value from 2007.
Imported sawnwood was mainly supplied by Russia (1.97
million m³ and 27.4% of total sawnwood imports), Canada
(1.13 million m³ and 15.8%), the US (1.04 million m³ and
14.5%), Thailand (0.79 million m³ and 11%) and Malaysia
(0.25 million m³ and 3.5%).
1.1.3 Wood-based panels
Imports of various wood-based panels continuously
decreased in 2008. Of the total, plywood imports were 293
900 m³ and valued at USD167 million, down 4% by
volume and 1.7% by value from 2007. Fiberboard imports
totaled 318,200 tons valued at USD140 million, down
27% by volume and 16.9% by value from 2007.
Particleboard imports totaled 243,200 tons and were
valued at USD92 million, down 28.7% by volume and
13.6% by value from 2007.
1.1.4 Paper pulp and waste paper
Pulp imports totaled 9.52 million tons and were valued at
USD 6.7 billion in 2008, up 12% by volume and 20.8% by
value from 2007. Waste paper imports totaled 24.2 million
tons and were valued at USD5.5 billion, up 7% by volume
and 37.5 % by value from 2007.
1.1.5 Paper, paperboard and paper products
Paper, paperboard and paper products imports totaled 3.74
million tons, which were valued at USD4.36 billion in
2008, down 11% by volume and up 1.8% by value from
2007.
1.1.6 Wooden furniture
China imported a total of 3.15 million pieces of wooden
furniture in 2008, which was valued at USD312 million,
up 26.9% by volume and 41.5% by value from 2007.
1.2. Exports
1.2.1 Wooden furniture
China exported a total of 243.4 million pieces of wooden
furniture in 2008, valued at USD11.021 billion, down
14.4% and up 3.1% respectively over the last year. Due to
the global economic crisis in late 2008, traditional Chinese
furniture importing countries such as the US and Japan as
well as European countries reduced their imports. China¡¯s
furniture exports were subject to considerable decline for
the first time in the last ten years. The value of wooden
furniture exports rose 3%, but its growth rate fell 18.6%.
Among exported national forest products, wooden
furniture plays an important role. In terms of export value,
wooden furniture accounted for 30.7% of the total value of
national major forest products in 2008.
1.2.2 Paper, paperboard and paper products
Paper, paperboard and paper products exports totaled 6.14
million tons and were valued at USD7.698 billion in 2008,
down 10% by volume and up 8.5% by value from 2007.
All kinds of paper products had the highest growth rates.
Being the second largest exported forest products, its
export value accounted for 21% of the total export value
of forest products in 2008, although its export volume fell
nearly 10%.
1.2.3 Other Wood products
All kinds of other wood products, including wooden
doors, windows and flooring as well as wooden
handicrafts, tableware and package materials, were worth
a total value of USD3.3 billion, down 9% from 2007. In
terms of export value, this kind of product ranked fourth in
China¡¯s total exported forest products and accounted for
9% of the total export value of forest products.
1.2.4 Plywood
Plywood exports totaled 7.18 million m³ and valued at
USD3.4 billion in 2008, down 18% by volume and 5% by
value from 2007. Plywood exports grew rapidly before
2007. However, its export growth rate slowed in 2007 and
was negative in 2008. The export value of plywood
represented 9.5% of total forest products export and
ranked third in terms of China¡¯s total exported forest
products in 2008.
1.2.5 Fiberboard and particle board
Fiberboard exports totaled 1.88 million tons and valued at
USD1.094 billion in 2008, down 17.6% in volume and up
0.8% in value from 2007. Particleboard exports totaled
243,200 tons valued at USD91.85 million, down 28.7% in
volume and 13.6% in value from 2007.
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