Finnish sawn output dips by 25%

Third-quarter production of sawn wood in Finland fell by about 25% to 2.1 million m³, according to the Finnish Forest Industries Federation.

Total sawn timber output for the first nine months of 2008 reached 7.5 million m³ – about 2 million m³ down on 2007. The production was worth €1.4bn, a reduction of more than a third.

Export prices in July were 25% lower than the same month in 2007.

Plywood production also fell in the third quarter to 300,000m³ – 8% lower than 2007. Output for the first nine months totalled slightly over 1 million m³, while the value of production reached €600m.