The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultures Service reported on Thursday (9-2-21) that the U.S. exported 646,494.1 metric tons of wood pellets in July, up from both 603,752.2 metric tons in June and 643,727.5 metric tons in July 2020. The U.S. exported wood pellets to approximately 17 countries in July.
News in international markets
Members of the European Parliament View New Green Forest Strategy as Vague and an Overstep of EU Remits
During the European Parliament’s agriculture meeting held on Wednesday (9-1-21), EU Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski presented one of the main initiatives of the Commission’s Green Deal. However, EU lawmakers from across all of the political spectrums have united in their criticism against the EU’s new flagship Forestry Strategy.
ZAO Murom Starts Up New OSB Plant in Vladimir Region of Russia
Russian wood-based materials producer ZAO Murom’s OSB plant is up and running. The new OSB line was built as a greenfield project at the site of ZAO Murom in the Vladimir region of Russia. The innovative OSB line with an annual capacity of more than 280,000 m3 enables Murom to use diverse raw material assortments, including waste from plywood production, another focus of the plant investor.
Scotland Ready to Help UK with Fluctuations in the Global Timber Market
The UK as whole, according to Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS), is ‘far too vulnerable’ to fluctuations in the global timber market. However, the FLS says that Scotland is well placed to ‘mitigate’ the risk by stepping up its commercial forestry sector.
Glennon Brothers Awarded Forestry and Land Scotland Contract
Thanks to a new contract awarded by the Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS), Glennon Brothers, a timber processor in Troon, will be able to create 25 new jobs by adding a third shift at their sister business Alexanders Timber Design.
U.S. Court of International Trade Rules Quick Tariff Reviews Overstepped Commerce Dept. Authority
A rule that allowed foreign producers, such as Canadian lumber producers, to quickly apply for lower countervailing duty rates if they weren’t individually investigated by the U.S. Commerce Department in its original duty inquiry has been eliminated in a decision handed down by the U.S. Court of International Trade.
Kangaroo Island Plantation Timber to Convert 18,000 Hectares of Softwoods to an Agricultural Estate
Having had its proposal to construct a deep-water port on the north coast of Kangaroo Island rejected by the South Australian government, Kangaroo Island Plantation Timber (KIPT) Chairman Paul McKenize announced that KIPT would immediately convert its 18,000 hectares of softwood to an agricultural estate.
U.S. Wood Pellet Exports in June Exceed 603,752 Metric Tons and $82.96 Million in Value
According to data released on August 5, 2021 by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), the United States exported 603,752.2 metric tons of wood pellets in June — up from 513,608 metric tons in May but down from 684,030.2 metric tons in June 2020.
Japanese Housing Starts Post 4th Consecutive Monthly Gains
Total housing starts in Japan posted their fourth consecutive monthly increase in June, rising 7.3% to 76,312 units. Owner occupied housing increased 10.6%, while rental housing rose 11.8%.
Swiss Krono Group Invests $273.5 Million Towards the Construction of Russia’s Largest OSB Plant
The Russian News Agency, TASS, on Wednesday (8-4-21), reported that the Swiss Krono Group is making an investment of approximately 20 billion rubles ($273.5 million) towards the construction of Russia’s largest oriented strand board (OSB) plant in Sharya, located in the Kostroma Region.