Forestry Commission - News - statistics on timber prices and wood production and trade published

The latest National Statistics on Timber Price Indices, and the latest National Statistics on UK Wood Production and Trade (provisional results), produced by the Forestry Commission were released today (15 May 2008) in accordance with the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority.

Statistics on Timber Price Indices are based on Forestry Commission sales and cover the Coniferous Standing Sales Price Index and the Sawlog Price Index. They present data to March 2008 for Great Britain. The key points from the latest release are:

the average price for coniferous standing sales was Ł12.48 per cubic metre overbark standing in nominal terms in the year to March 2008;
the Coniferous Standing Sales Price Index for Great Britain was 41.9% higher in real terms in the year to March 2008, compared with the previous year; and
the Softwood Sawlog Index was 13.6% higher in real terms in the six months to March 2008, compared with the corresponding period of the previous year.

The National Statistics First Release, Timber Price Indices, is available at http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/tpi200803.pdf/$FILE/tpi200803.pdf

Statistics on UK Wood Production and Trade (provisional results) include data on production, imports and exports of roundwood and wood products for the UK for the calendar years 2003 to 2007. The key points from the latest release are:

Harvesting of UK roundwood in 2007:

9.1 million green tonnes of softwood; a 6% increase from 2006; and
0.4 million green tonnes of hardwood; a 1% increase from 2006.

UK roundwood deliveries to industries and others in 2007:

total: 9.2 million tonnes of roundwood (softwood and hardwood) (a 6% increase from 2006);
sawmills: 5.6 million green tonnes (a 7% increase);
wood-based panels: 1.4 million green tonnes (no change from 2006);
integrated pulp and paper mills: 0.5 million green tonnes (a 12% fall); and
other uses, including round fencing, woodfuel, shavings and exports of roundwood: 1.7 million green tonnes (a 16% increase).

UK production of wood products in 2007 included:

3.1 million cubic metres of sawnwood (an increase of 8% from 2006);
3.5 million cubic metres of wood-based panels (a 1% increase from 2006);
5.2 million tonnes of paper and paperboard (a 6% fall from 2006).

Trade:

United Kingdom imports in 2007 included 8.4 million cubic metres of sawnwood, 3.9 million cubic metres of wood-based panels, and 9.1 million tonnes of pulp and paper; and
the total value of wood product imports in 2007 was Ł6.8 billion, of which Ł4.2 billion was pulp and paper. Pulp and paper also accounted for the majority of exports, generating Ł1.4 billion in 2007 out of a total of Ł1.6 billion for all wood product exports.

The National Statistics First Release, UK Wood Production and Trade (provisional results), is available at http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/trprod08.pdf/$FILE/trprod08.pdf

For further information, visit www.forestry.gov.uk/statistics or contact Jackie Watson, Forestry Commission Economics and Statistics; tel: 0131 314 6171; e-mail: statistics@forestry.gsi.gov.uk.

NOTES TO EDITOR:

Data for Great Britain cover England, Scotland and Wales; data for the UK also include Northern Ireland.
The Forestry Commission is the government department for forestry in Great Britain, and works to improve people's lives through the many benefits that sustainably managed woods and forests can provide. It supports other woodland owners with grants, tree felling licences, regulation and advice; promotes the benefits of forests and forestry; and advises Ministers in the UK Government, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Assembly Government on forestry policy. It manages more than a million hectares (over 2.5 million acres) of national forest land owned by Ministers for multiple public benefits such as sustainable timber production, public recreation, nature conservation, and rural and community development. For further information, visit www.forestry.gov.uk. Through its agency, Forest Research, it carries out world-class scientific research and technical development relevant to forestry for a range of internal and external clients. For further information, visit www.forestresearch.gov.uk.

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