US Dollar Exchange Rates of 10th April
2019
China Yuan 6.7042
Report from China
Decline in 2018 sawnwood imports
According to China Customs, 2018 sawnwood imports
totalled 36.74 million cubic metres valued at US$10.13
billion, a year on year decline of 2% in volume and a
slight increase (1%) in value.
The average price for imported sawnwood was US$216
per cubic metre, up 2% on 2017. Both sawn softwood and
sawn hardwood imports declined in 2018.
Of total sawnwood imports, sawn softwood imports fell
1% to 24.88 million cubic metres, accounting for 68% of
the national total. The average price for imported sawn
softwood was US$201 per cubic metre, up 3% year on
year.
Sawn hardwood imports fell 4% to 11.86 million cubic
metres because China¡¯s sawn hardwood imports from the
top sources, Thailand and USA, fell 4% and 8%
respectively. The average price for imported sawn
hardwoods was US$433 per cubic metre, up 3% year on
year.
Of total sawn hardwood imports, tropical sawnwood
imports were 7.19 million cubic metres valued at
US$2.678 billion, down 2% in volume and 3% in value
and accounted for about 20% of the national total. The
average price for imported tropical sawnwood was
US$372 per cubic metre, a year on year decrease of only
1%.
Surge in Russian sawn softwood imports
Russia was the main sawn softwood supplier to China in
2018 and China¡¯s sawn softwood imports from Russia
rose 10% to 15.65 million, accounting for 63% of the
national total, surging 6% year on year. China¡¯s sawn
softwood imports from Ukraine surged.
Average prices for all sawn softwood suppliers rose.
Average prices for imported sawn softwood from Chile,
Finland and USA rose 13%, 12% and 10% respectively.
Vietnam fades from list of main sawn hardwood
suppliers
China¡¯s sawn hardwood imports from Vietnam
plummeted 73% to 150,000 cubic meters in 2018
from 540,000 cubic metres in 2017. Vietnam
disappeared from the list of main countries shipping
sawn hardwood to China because most was utilised
by Chinese furniture factories in Vietnam.
 
Substantial growth in China¡¯s tropical sawnwood
imports from Brazil
Thailand still is the main tropical sawnwood exporter to
China. China¡¯s tropical sawnwood imports from Thailand
in 2018 were 4.44 million cubic metres valued at
USD1.407 billion. However, the proportion of Thai
tropical sawnwood exports to China plummeted 8%.
The top 5 countries supplied 84% of China¡¯s tropical
sawnwood requirements in 2018, namely Thailand (62%),
Gabon (8%), Brazil (6%), Indonesia (5%) and the
Philippines (4.5%).
In Contrast, just 5 countries supplied over 92% of China¡¯s
tropical sawnwood requirements in 2017 namely, Thailand
(72%), Gabon (6%),the Philippines (5%), Indonesia (5%),
Malaysia (4%).
China¡¯s tropical sawnwood imports from Brazil grew
substantially in 2018 but the average price fell 54% year
on year as much of this was plantation timber.Tropical
sawnwood imports from Myanmar, Nigeria, Gabon and
Cameroon rose 70%, 69% , 38% and 33% year on year
respectively and imports from Vietnam, Malaysia and the
Philippines, fell 73%, 9% and 2% year on year
respectively.
 
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