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NZ forestry exports double

The value of New Zealand’s forestry product exports has more than doubled in the last 20 years. Sources: Radio New Zealand, New Zealand Herald

Recent Statistics New Zealand figures show that NZ$4.5 billion worth of products was exported in 2012 compared with NZ$1.9 billion in 1992.

Statistics New Zealand prices manager Chris Pike said the rise was due mainly to the volume of log exports rising especially to China.

Pike said the types of forestry products exported and which countries bought them have also changed.

In 1992 logs accounted for less than a quarter of New Zealand’s total forestry exports and has jumped to 35% by 2012.

New Zealand is now the third-largest exporter of logs in the world after Russia and the United States.

“In 2012 we supplied 8% of the total value of the world’s export logs,” Pike said.

Forestry products continue to be the third-largest goods export, after dairy and meat. More than 65% of China’s dairy imports, 10% of its forestry imports and 6% of its meat imports now come directly from New Zealand.

According to Statistics New Zealand figures, the increased export of logs to China has been a major contributor to the greater value of log exports.

In 1992 only NZ$59 million worth of logs were sold to China. This was up to slightly more than NZ$1 billion by 2012 making China the top market for logs surpassing Korea and Japan.

Sawn timber is the second-largest forestry product export, followed by manufactured wood products, paper and paper products, and wood pulp.

“New Zealand has become more reliant on log exports. China is now a key market for our forestry products, taking 34% of the total value of our forestry-product exports in 2012, compared with 4% in 1992,” said Pike.