China imports 23.95 million m3 of sawn wood in 2013 with sawn softwood accounting for 70% of total; Canada is largest sawn softwood supplier at 6.79 million m3, followed by Russia at 6.43 million m3, imports from Finland and Sweden surge by 186%: ITTO
Aimee Bellah
YOKOHAMA, Japan
,
May 31, 2014
(International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO))
–
Sawn softwood imports
China‟s sawnwood imports were 23.95 million cubic metres in 2013. Of this total, sawn softwood imports accounted for about made up 70%.
Canada and Russia were the main suppliers of imported sawn softwood in 2013 at 6.79 million cubic metres and 6.43 million cubic metres respectively.
The faster growth in sawn softwood imports was recorded for Finland and Sweden (up 186% in 2013).
Main sources of sawn softwood imports (mil. cu.m)
Source: China customs
Softwood
sawnwood 2013 mil. cu. m
2012 mil. cu. m.
% change 2013 on 2012
Canada
6.79
6.39
6%
Russia
6.43
5.52
16%
The U.S.
0.87
0.72
22%
Chile
0.82
0.48
70%
Finland and Sweden
0.77
0.27
186%
New Zealand
0.49
0.48
2%
Other European countries
0.37
0.11
229%
Other
0.36
0.24
52%
Total
16.91
14.22
19%
The proportion of China's imported sawn softwood from Russia has been increasing since 2007. China‟s sawn softwood imports from Russia in 2013 rose 16% over 2012.
Analysts forecast that China‟s sawn softwood imports from Russia will exceed those from Canada this year and it may be that Russia will become the largest supplier of China‟s sawn softwood imports.
China‟s sawn spruce and fir imports have increased rapidly in recent years. In 2013 some 92% of China‟s spruce and fir imports were from Canada and amounted to 6.8 million cubic metres.
Imports of sawn spruce and fir from European countries have been increasing and and last year totaled 1.91 million cubic metres.
The pattern of China‟s sawn softwoodmarket has changed. In 2013, 80% of Chin‟a sawn softwoodwas imported by traders in Inner Mongolia, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Guangdong, Tianjin, Shandong and Heilongjiang provinces.
Some 76% of China‟s scots pine sawnwood was imported through Inner Mongolia while 56% of the spruce and fir imports came through ports in Jiangsu, Shanghai and Tianjin.
Source: International Tropical Timber Organization, Yokohama Japan. The original article with tables can be viewed here.
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