Chinese Log Prices Rising on Tight Supply

Beijing, China, Oct. 21, 2010 -- Increasing demand for wood raw material from sawmills, plywood plants and pulp mills in China has pushed Chinese domestic log prices higher, and many Chinese companies are considering importing more logs and wood chips to supplement the domestic fiber sources. 

The tight log supply has resulted in higher prices for domestically sourced logs this year. Chinese fir sawlogs prices were almost 17 percent higher in the second quarter as compared to the same quarter in 2009, according to the Wood Resource Quarterly (WRQ). Eucalyptus logs have new record highs. 

The continued high costs of locally sourced logs has resulted in higher volumes being imported so far this year. During the first eight months of 2010, the total imports of softwood and hardwood logs were up 23 percent compared to the same period in 2009.

The importation of tropical hardwood logs has increased almost 50 percent. 

During the first eight months of this year, imports of wood chips to China have more than doubled compared to last year, as reported in the WRQ.