Australia’s State of Victoria has announced that native logging in Victorian forests will end sooner than originally planned, according to Sky News. The original plan—announced in 2019—would phase out logging in 2030; however, the new timeline will end native logging by the end of 2023.
News in international markets
Chinese Custom Officials Report Imported Logs Declined in Volume and Value in Q1
China’s log imports in Q1 totaled 9.27 million cubic meters, valued at $1,606 billion (USD), which is down 7% in volume and 18% in value when compared to 2022Q1. The average price for imported logs was US $173 (CIF) per cubic meter, down 12% from the same period last year.
China Lifts Ban on Australian Timber Imports
According to ABC News, China’s Ambassador to Australia said Australian timber exporters had satisfied China’s quarantine concerns, and China has reopened its door to Australian timber imports for the first time in more than two years.
Belarus to Sell More Sawn Timber to China via the Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange
The Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange has told the Belarusian Telegraph Agency, the country’s state-owned news agency, that it intends to ship more Belarusian sawn timber products to China.
Metsä Board Announces Plans for Temporary Layoffs in Finland
Metsä Board, part of Metsä Group, will initiate negotiations on possible temporary layoffs for its paperboard and BCTMP mills in Finland. The negotiations involve a total of 1,100 employees at seven mills.
Council of the EU Adopts New Regulation to Limit Deforestation Worldwide
The Council of the EU has given the final go-ahead to a regulation that aims to minimize the risk of deforestation and forest degradation associated with products that placed on or exported from the EU market.
India’s Century Plyboards Announces Extensive Non-Structural Panel Expansion
India’s Century Plyboards has announced that it is considering an investment of Rs 2,000 crore to expand its laminates, MDF, and particleboard capacities over the next three years, according to a report by “Construction Week India.”
Timber Tower in Budapest Provides 360-Degree Views of Nature Reserve
Robert Gutowski Architects has designed a winding Lookout Tower that serves as a sculptural beacon for hikers visiting the nature reserve of Budapest and Naplás Lake, according to a recent feature in Yanko Design magazine.
US Wood Pellet Exports Up Month-Over-Month and Year-Over-Year in March
The US exported 909,787.1 metric tons of wood pellets in March, up from 632,043.8 metric tons in February. Total wood pellet exports for the first three months of 2023 reached 2.18 million metric tons at a value of $402.08 million.
Kronospan Opens New State-Of-The-Art Particleboard Plant in Tortosa, Spain
Kronospan, in just a little over a year’s time, and an investment of approximately 400 million euros, has built a new state-of-the-art particleboard plant in Tortosa, Spain, capable of producing 2,000 m3 per day.