In 2014, China's forest products industry output value and trade value reached US$ 848 billion and US$ 138 billion, up 11% and 9.5% respectively, as compared with 2013.
China's imports of log, lumber and wood-based panel all have had substantial growth in 2014, International Wood Markets reports quoting data from the Chinese State Forestry Administration.
In 2014, China's imports of logs were 51.4 million m³ valued at nearly US$ 11.8 billion, a rise of 14% in volume and 26% in value from the previous year. Of the total log imports, softwood logs reached a volume of 35.7 million m³ and a value of US$ 5.4 billion. Imports of hardwood logs went up to 15.7 million m3 in volume and a value of nearly US$ 6.3 billion.
The import of softwood logs increased 8% in volume and 7% in value, respectively, compared with 2013, whereas the import volume and value of hardwood logs grew much higher, or by 28% and 49%, respectively, compared with 2013.