Timber exports up 48 per cent

Press, 2 September 1980, Page 14

Timber exports up 48 per cent

Parliamentary reporter Total New Zealand sawn timber exports for the year ended December, 1979, increased 48 per cent over the previous year to . 509,948 cubic metres, according to the annual report of the Forest Service. Significant increases were 49.5 per cent to Japan, 47 per cent to Australia, 10 per cent to the Pacific Islands, and luO per cent to all other countries. The only decrease, of 11 per cent, was to the United Arab Republic. . Log exports also increased 28.5 per cent to 1,273,243 cu. m in the same year. .... There were additional increases in exports of sawn timber and logs during the first two months of 1980. Problems associated

with decay fungi in logs had * again been encountered Tn the spring and earlv summer months, the report' said. Delays in shipping, and protracted retention of logs in the stockpile, hed been the main causes of the decay fungi. Insects . had not been a significant problet?mported roundwood, mainly poles and peeler logs, had amounted to 3000 cu. m. and the imported sawn timber had only 21,143 cu. m. of various softwood and hardwood species. Wrong coding and documentation of containers landed in New ; Zealand ports still caused concern, the report said. Correct coding and documentation would reduce the number of containers that had to be opened for inspection.