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Japan Wood Products Prices

01-15th July 2007


Japan Wood Products Prices
Dollar Exchange Rates of  16th
July  2007
Japan Yen 121.85

Reports From Japan


Market for Southsea lumber and logs remains dull
At the late June meeting of the Japan Southsea Lumber Conference’s Tokyo Chapter, it was recommended that plywood manufacturers in Japan should lower prices for orders of Southsea logs, due to inactive transactions of plywood. The general market conditions remained weak. However, one staff member of a trading company noted that prices of small diameter logs were weakening in producing centers, due to slowing demand from China and Japan. While Japan’s total imports of Southsea logs in April 2007 had recovered from March 2007, shipments were largely down. Imports of sawn lumber showed a 15.1% year-on-year drop, while processed lumber increased 3.1%. China and Malaysia were exporting an increasing amount of processed lumber, while Indonesia’s exports to Japan decreased 22.3% from a year ago.

JLIA redoubles efforts to curb illegal logging
Japan Lumber Journal recently reported that the members of the Japan Lumber Importers’ Association (JLIA) would promote measures to address illegal logging as part of its business plan for 2007. In particular, the Association would step up efforts to participate in conferences that address illegal logging and would investigate imports and sales results of legally certified timber. At the same meeting, the Association appointed Shoichi Takahashi,director, vice-president and executive officer of Sumitomo Forestry Co. Ltd, as its new Chairman.

Japanese housing starts record further slide in May
Total housing starts decreased 10.7% from May 2006 and fell 9.5% from April 2007. Wood-based units accounted for 45% of the total housing starts, just slightly up from 42% in the previous month.


Abbreviations

LM        Loyale Merchant, a grade of log parcel  Cu.m         Cubic Metre
QS         Qualite Superieure    Koku         0.278 Cu.m or 120BF
CI          Choix Industriel                                                       FFR            French Franc
CE         Choix Economique                                                        SQ              Sawmill Quality
CS         Choix Supplimentaire      SSQ            Select Sawmill Quality
FOB      Free-on-Board     FAS            Sawnwood Grade First and
KD        Kiln Dry                               Second 
AD        Air Dry        WBP           Water and Boil Proof
Boule    A Log Sawn Through and Through MR              Moisture Resistant
              the boards from one log are bundled                      pc         per piece      
              together                      ea                each      
BB/CC  Plywood grades. Letter(s) on the left indicate face veneer(s), those on the right backing veneer(s). Veneer grade decreases in order B, BB, C, CC, etc. MBF           1000 Board Feet          
              Plywood   MDF           Medium Density Fibreboard
BF         Board Foot F.CFA         CFA Franc        
Sq.Ft     Square Foot  PHND             Pin hole no defect grade
Hoppus ton     1.8 cubic metres              Price has moved up or down

Source: ITTO'  Tropical Timber Market Report


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