Chinese hardwood plywood imports during May, equating to 28,402m³, helped the UK see a year-on-year overall increase of 138% during the first five months of 2007.
A total of 149,300m³ of Chinese hardwood plywood was imported to the UK during the period January to May, up from 62,700 m³ in 2006.
Other countries also seeing an increase in their exports to the UK during the first five months of the year include Malaysia, from 64,2000m³ to 84,800 m³; Finland, from 13,000m³ to 17,600m³; and Russia, from 18,900m³ to 27,600m³.
However, imports to the UK from Indonesia declined from 22,200m³ in 2006 to 9,900m³ in 2007 and the amount of Brazilian hardwood plywood imports fell to 44,400m³ from 50,300m³.
Imports from Indonesia for the month of May were up by 200m³ on April but were still well below the 3,800m³ imported in March and even further adrift of the 10,300m³ recorded in May 2005.
