Domestically grown Australian Red Cedar (Toona ciliate), one of Australia’s few native deciduous trees, is gaining popularity in Brazil. This timber is also known as toon or toona, Burmese Cedar, Indian Cedar, Moulmein Cedar or Queensland red cedar. It is also sometimes called Indian Mahogany.
Australian Red Cedar grown in Brazil has started to replace high value native timbers such as Brazilian Cedar (Cedrela fissilis) and Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla). The domestic market for sawn wood of around 25 million cubic metres can readily absorb timber from plantation thinnings of Red Cedar, which can be used for fine finish products in civil construction such as boards and batten panelling, doors, windows and furniture. Logs can also be used to produce decorative veneers. Australian Red Cedar is harvested at 15 years when trees are over 50cm in diameter. Thinnings of eight-year-old Cedar generate an early financial return. Reports suggest that thinnings from one hectare of plantation can produce around 30m3 of sawn wood. Currently, sawn wood produced from thinnings attracts a price in the region of R$ 1,500 per m3. One hectare of mature logs at the final harvest is said to generate around 100m3 of sawn wood.
Source: ITTO
