Japan has been increasing its exports of lumber in the past two years. In the first eight months of this year, volume rose to 84,370 cbm, 62.4 per cent more compared to the same period last year. Total volume for 2017 is expected to reach 100,000cbm, a significant figure compared to 40,000cbm in 2008 and 2009 and 60,000cbm in 2010 and 2015.
Log exports to China slowed down in 2016 as the Chinese economy shrank. However lumber sales moved well. China is the leading buyer of lumber, which is used as lamina for laminated lumber and interior finishing then sheathing of housing. Average unit prices are 34,000 yen per cbm, which is not high but gives steady business.
The most noticeable move is lumber to the U.S.A. This year’s export volume is 7,338cbm, four times more compared to the same period last year. The average unit price is nearly 50,000 yen, way higher than the prices for China.
Shipments to Taiwan and Vietnam have also risen 30 – 40% compared to 2016 figures. The Philippines is also one of Japan’s markets. However, wood shipped to the Southeast Asian country is processed by a Japanese-owned sawmill and finished products are shipped back to Japan. Log export volume in the first eight months reached 677,582 cbm.
Source: ITTO
