Aug 10, 2010. /Lesprom Network/. Total U.S. imports of tropical hardwood lumber in the January to May period this year was nearly the same as in 2009, up 1%. There has been no significant recovery since the downturn in imports in 2008 and 2009, except in a few species. Red meranti, jatoba and teak all posted large gains compared to the same time period last year. Imports of balsa from Ecuador, acajou d’Afrique and ipe were also higher than in year-to-date May 2009, ITTO reported. There has also been little change in hardwood moulding imports from 2009. The US imported $71 million in year-to-date May 2010, 4% less than in the same period last year. Both jatoba and ipe moulding imports from Brazil remained below 2009 values at $9.5 million (-23%) and $2.1 million (-25%), respectively. Cumaru moulding imports from Brazil were down at $1.9 million, a decline of 8% from last year. Cumaru moulding imports from Peru continued increasing, totalling $1.2 year-to-date May 2010. January to May 2010 imports of hardwood flooring were 60% below the same period in 2009. The largest drop has been in imports from China, down 79%. Hardwood flooring imports from Brazil were $959,000 (-26%), while imports from Malaysia were $868,000 (-31%). Indonesian flooring exports increased to $226,000 by May 2010, up 38%.