Jun 22, 2005. /Lesprom Network/. China's fiberboard export volume has expanded sharply this year amid rising prices. According to China Customs statistics, the export volume reached 262,600 cubic meters in the first four months of this year, a surge of 424% over the 50,060 cubic meters for the same period last year. The four-month export value amounted to $98.35 million, up 5.5-fold from the $17.84 million in the same period of last year. This means the average unit export price rose 5.1%, from $356.36 to $374.55 per cubic meter. Thanks to strong domestic demand, China's fiberboard industry has developed rapidly in recent years. The country's fiberboard output hit 15.6046 million cubic meters in 2004, a hefty increase of 11.2833 million cubic meters or 36.3% over 2003. Medium density fiberboard has led the growth of the fiberboard industry in the country, with the output topping the world. The annual production capacity has topped 16 million cubic meters. The strong growth should have been attributed to huge demand from the furniture making and indoor decoration industry. China has maintained advantages in exporting medium density fiberboard to such countries and regions as Japan, South Korea, Russia and the EU.