Russian Timber News

Japan Lumber Journal has published new statistics about Russian Timber market in April 2009.

The amount of Russian logs received in April was 62,050 m³, an 8.4% increase compared to the previous month and a 74.1% decrease compared to last year. In detail, the amount was 25,000 m³ for larch (a 41.3% increase compared to the previous month and an 84.4% decrease compared to last year), 28,600 m³ for pine (a 2.5% decrease compared to the previous month and a 38.2% decrease compared to last year), and 6,050 m³ for spruce (a 7.3% decrease compared to the previous month and a 73.2% decrease compared to last year). The amount of larch received in April increased again compared to the previous month. The amount of pine received has been stable around just under 30,000 m³ for the third consecutive month. The amount of spruce received has not grown at all.

The amount of lumber products received in April was 1,900 m³ for larch, and the total for spruce and pine, which is the leading variety, was 67,600 m³. Though the amount of spruce and pine received decreased by 1.6% compared to the previous month and decreased by 12.3% compared to last year, the trend of that arrival has been firm in this year. Presence of rough lumber becomes stronger as substitute for logs in the industry. The amount of structural laminated lumber received in April was 2,600 m³. The amount received increased by 17.2% compared to the previous month and increased by 12.4% compared to last year.

The CIF Japan Port price of logs in April was 12,778 yen per cubic meter for larch, 17,997 yen for pine, and 13,411 yen for spruce, and compared to the previous month, larch and spruce rose 17.9% and 11.0% respectively, while pine fell 6.3%. Compared to last year, the price went down 15.3% for larch and 7.5% for spruce, but rose 1.6% for pine. As the deep-rooted demand for pine logs for lumber is supported its price, arrival of red pine logs, as substitute of hemlock logs, at Hiroshima port was reported in a meeting related timber industry. With a trend of increase in arrival of larch logs, the price of larch logs increased after a long interval. The price of hardwood oak was 45,018 yen increasing by 23.9% compared to the previous month bouncing up and down.

The price of lumber products was 26,081 yen per cubic meter for larch, 35,333 yen for pine and spruce, and the price of the main items of pine and spruce was an increase of 2.9% compared to the previous month and 8.4% compared to last year. The prices are in uptrend. The price of hardwood was 60,426 yen per cubic meter bouncing up and down the same with logs. The price of structural laminated wood was 35,170 yen per cubic meter with a decrease of 2.3% compared to the previous month and 23.4% compared to last year. Arrival of low-priced products is increasing.

Informational resource: JLJ