Press release – For Immediate Release
Seattle, USA.
April 2009
New Zealand increased exports of sawlogs in 2008 thanks to its weak currency,
reports WRQ
The forest industry in New Zealand has had few reasons to celebrate the past year.
Domestic...
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Press release – For Immediate Release
Seattle, USA.
April 2009
New Zealand increased exports of sawlogs in 2008 thanks to its weak currency,
reports WRQ
The forest industry in New Zealand has had few reasons to celebrate the past year.
Domestic consumption of lumber has diminished and the export market for lumber and
pulp has been in decline for most of 2008.
The only bright spot has been the increase in
radiata pine log exports, reports the Wood Resource Quarterly.
The lumber market in New Zealand continues to be weak, and many sawmills are
running at reduced operating rates due to falling domestic housing activity and a weak
property market.
Housing starts have trended downwards with the total number of new
dwellings at only about 60 percent of what they were just over a year ago.
In 2008, there were 24 sawmills that closed and it is expected that more plants will
permanently shut down in 2009.
Despite the reduced demand for sawlogs domestically,
prices did not change much (in
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