Forecast of wood export production

Press, 3 August 1985, Page 3

Forecast of wood export production

By

OLIVER RIDDELL

in Wellington

A harvesting and marketing strategy that predicts the volumes of wood production from State plantations in the next 25' years will be published by the Forest Service on August 15. The information is being published to enable the timber industry to plan development. It is hoped that the strategy will have a significant impact on planning throughout New Zealand as wood volumes will influence plans for roads and railways, ports, servicing industries, and employment. The strategy provides computer-based predictions on volumes of wood available — nationally, regionally, and by individual forest.

It also divides the volumes by log types such as large pruned logs, unpruned logs, or small wood, each being suitable for different methods of processing. As well, the strategy identifies when increases in each type will occur.

The Director-General of Forests, Mr Andy Kirkland, said the strategy was the culmination of seven years of work in assessing the forests and of developing computer growth simulations.

Its completion would allow the consequent development of marketing strategies for rapidly increasing volumes of wood that would

be available for export, especially after 1990, he said. The Minister of Forests, Mr Wetere, said the forestry industry had had difficulties with the current shortage of wood caused by the lack of forest planting during the 1940 s and 19505. It had been known for some time that wood supplies would begin to increase dramatically just before 1995, and that 1985 volumes would have trebled by 2010. Now, thanks to the strategy, it would be known how much wood would be available, where and when, and of what quality, Mr Wetere said.

Before each substantial increase in supply, the Forest Service would invite industry to submit proposals for wood use in existing, expanded or new processing plants. That would provide indications of requirements so that formal sales could be offered.

One exception would be the West Coast, where existing sales would expire in 1986, Mr Wetere said. To maintain West Coast forestry industries, the process would be speeded up to be finalised by the end of this year.

The strategy for the rest of New Zealand would be open for discussion until Christmas this year, and would then be revised and published annually with the latest predictions.