Forestry exports reach $779M

Press, 13 May 1987, Page 41

Forestry exports reach $779M

PA Wellington New Zealand’s forestry exports topped $779 million in the year to December, 1986, said the Ministry of Forestry. Although sawn timber exports fell 23.1 per; cent to 370,000 cu m for 1986 compared with the previous year, wood . chip and wood pulp products increased 4.7 per cent and 6.1 per cent respectively, said the Ministry’s assistant secretary, Dr John Valentine. Paper and paperboard exports increased 10 per cent, or 250,000 tonnes, to SNZI9BM. Fibreboard exports also increased with 54,000 cu m being exported, but logs and poles recorded a decrease of 31,000 cu m on the 1985 figure, Dr Valentine said. Australia was the main export destination taking SNZ32BM of all forest pro-

■ ducts. . Japan took 24 per cent (SI9OM), while other main countries were the United States (S39M), India (S2SM), Indonesia (S2SM), China (S22M) and Korea (S2IM). Ministry research attributed the export increases of wood chip and pulp to the bouyancy of the world’s pulp and paper market. Australia’s economy was depressed. The reduction in new housing caused a fall in New Zealand sawn timber exports, Dr Valentine said. The New Zealand forestry industry had been faced with severe competition from the world’s other traditional suppliers, Dr Valentine said. However, because of long established contacts with Japan, and New Zealand’s quality radiata pine products, New Zealand had managed to increase its exports 1.5 per cent over 1985.