Nov 04, 2009. /Lesprom Network/. Forest industry production in Finland contracted by a fifth in July-September 2009. In the first half of the current year, production volumes decreased by around 30% when compared to the first half of 2008, The Finnish Forest Industries Federation said in a press release received by Lesprom Network. The value of forest industry production was about Euro 3.9 billion in the 3Q. The value of production in January-September 2009 was a little under Euro11 billion. Some 2.8 million tonnes of paper and paperboard were produced in Finland in the 3Q; this represents a fall of 17% from the corresponding period of 2008. The contraction in production volumes has slowed down from the first half of this year. Production of wood-based printing papers, which are most usually used in the printing of magazines, fell by about a quarter. Production of fine papers, other paper grades and paperboard decreased by about 10%. A total of 7.8 million tonnes of paper and paperboard were produced in Finland in January-September, i.e. a quarter less than in the corresponding period of 2008, while some 1.3 million tonnes of pulp were produced in July-September, which is 28% less than one year earlier. The value of the pulp and paper industry’s 3Q production is estimated to have been almost Euro 3 billion. Less sawn timber was produced in July-September than in the other quarters, which can be explained with normal seasonal fluctuations. Production fell by a fifth from the corresponding period of the previous year to about 1.7 million cubic metres; the rate of contraction was somewhat slower than in the early part of the year. 5.4 million cubic metres of sawn timber were produced in January-September, which represents a fall of 28% from the corresponding period of 2008. Plywood production contracted by a third in July-September and the January-September aggregate production figure was down 45% from 2008. The value of the wood products industry’s 3Q production was about Euro 900 million.