China’s total wood fibre deficit, including woodchips, wood products and logs, will increase by 22 million m³ by 2012, as log imports drop by 13 million m³.
The China Timber Supply Outlook 2008-2012 study from RISI, a global forest products industry information provider, says the decline will be driven by the imposition of the higher Russian export tariffs on roundwood logs.
An increase in softwood lumber imports from Russia and Canada will help offset some of this deficit as China looks to feed its growing forest products industry according to RISI, but this will be underwritten by a need to increase domestic production.
“China will try to offset some of this decline with domestic stock, and as a result we expect to see a major expansion of domestic timber harvest in China, with most of the increase coming from fast-growing hardwood plantations,” said Robert Flynn, RISI director of international timber.
