As the adjustment of China’s economy progresses and because of the decline in investment in housing January to June the imports of softwood logs fell sharply while imports of hardwood logs were generally flat.
Softwood log imports amounted to 15.466 million cubic metres, a year on year decline of 18%. The average FOB price for imported softwood logs fell 19% to $129 per cubic metre.
Hardwood log imports totalled 7.657 million cubic metres in the first half of this year, slightly down (3%) on the same period in 2014. The average FOB price for imported hardwood logs fell 28% to $312 per cubic metre.
In the first half of 2015 China imported logs from mainly 8 countries, together these accounted for 82% of all log imports. Log imports from all of the 8 countries fell except for those from the Solomon Islands, which rose 25%. Imports from Australia rose slightly and there was an increase in the very small volumes imported from Japan.
The average FOB prices for imported logs from all the following countries were down except that the average FOB price for imported logs from the Solomon Islands increased slightly.
Log imports (softwoods and hardwoods) from the US fell dramatically (-39%) as did China’s log imports from Ukraine (-37%). The Chinese embassy in Ukraine has reported that Ukraine will phase out log exports over the next 10 years.
It is noteworthy that China’s log imports from Japan rose dramatically (52%) in the first half of 2015. Logs from Japan are used to produce wood-based panels, packaging and pallets.
