Jun 16, 2005. /Lesprom Network/. Year-on-year log imports in China rose 6.7% in the first quarter to 6.9 million cubic metres and the value of these imports rose 19% to $752.87 million. The average price for imported logs rose 11.5% to $109.4 per cubic metre. Of the total, softwood log imports rose 5% to 4,099,209 cubic metres and the average price for imported softwood logs was up 12.6% to $74.20 per cubic metre in the first quarter. Hardwood log imports in the first quarter were up 9.4% and the average price for imported hardwood logs was up 9.3% to just over $161 per cubic metre. China's sawnwood imports fell 0.7% to 1,350,250 cubic metres in the first quarter as compared to the same period in 2004, but the value of imports was higher by 8.3% at $322.9 million. The average price for imported sawnwood rose about 9% to $239 per cubic metre. Of the total sawnwood imports, softwood sawnwood imports rose 15.5% to 42,044 cubic metres at an average price of $165 up over 6.25% on the 2004 first quarter average price. While hardwood sawnwood imports fell by 6.6% to 929,803 cubic metres the average price for imported hardwood sawnwood was up 12% to $273 per cubic metre. Veneer imports in the first quarter 2005 fell 3% to 26,493 cubic metres compared to the same period in 2004 but the value was up 14.3% to $26.3 million at an average price of $992 (up almost 18%). Significantly, China's plywood imports were higher (+10%, 198,892 cubic metres) in the first quarter compared to the first quarter 2004. The value of first quarter imports grew 28% to $101.47 million and the average price was up by 16.6% to $510 per cubic metre.