If you are a UK timber trader you are invited to share your views on the forthcoming EU Timber Regulation. The new regulation will make it mandatory for companies to ensure the legality of their timber products. The research is conducted by the European Forest Institute and a student, Phoung Hoang.

This research aims to find out the difficulties of operators. Also, the information will be used to provide a background to develop different services and campaign to support operators in complying with the regulation.

The law will come into force in 2013 and companies could face heavy fines or other penalties if their timber imports are found to be illegally harvested.

“The aim of this study is to provide an overview of timber operators' (importers) understanding and perception towards the timber regulation and their awareness regarding Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade licensing,” said Phoung Hoang.

It takes about 20 minutes to fill in the online questionnaire here .

Malaysian timber exports slowed in the first four months of 2011; therefore the country’s exporters fear another economic downturn in the US. This could have an impact on timber markets all around the world as in 2009.

Exports of sawnwood amounted to RM786 million for the first four months of 2011 according to the preliminary statistics of the Malaysian Timber Industry Board. Compared to the same period in 2010 this shows a 7.8% decline. Volume-wise, the decline was 4.4%. Compared to levels in the first half of 2010 log exports in the same period of 2011 were down by 18.7% at RM625 million.

At the same time there was an 8% increase in fibreboard exports to RM393 million for the first quarter of 2011 compared to the levels in the same period of the previous year. Also, exports of builders’ woodwork and joinery rose by 12% to RM338 million.

Plywood imports by Japan slow as inventories are assessed
There is a slow-down in the Japanese imports of Malaysian plywood as plywood importers evaluate their inventories. There is news circulating about importers that have run out of storage space in their warehouses.

Sarawak’s exports of plywood to Japan amounted to RM476 million in the first four months of 2011. However, exports of plywood rose to RM926 million in the second quarter, an increase of more than 65% compared to levels in the same period last year. Sarawak plywood exporters are projecting an increase in the demand for plywood well into 2012.

According to statistics released by the (STIDC), Sarawak’s exports of plywood to Japan amounted to RM476 million in the first quarter of this year. However, exports of plywood rose to RM926 million in the second quarter, an increase of more than 65% compared to levels in the same period last year. Sarawak plywood exporters are projecting an increase in the demand for plywood well into 2012.

Flow of logs to Sarawak mills back to normal
The STIDC (Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation) has indicated that the flow of logs to domestic mills has returned to normal and that the plywood mills in Sarawak are now operating at about 70% of capacity. Sarawak’s exports of plywood to South Korea fell from RM107 million in the first quarter of this year to RM55 million in the second quarter.

Nevertheless, Sarawak exported RM2.1 billion worth of panel-products in the first half of this year compared to RM1.95 billion in the same period last year.

In Mississippi the rain, or more the lack of has caused major problems for owners of timber land. Butch Bailey, the extension forester for Mississippi State has said that wildfire is the biggest threat to timber. There is currently a ban on burning but there are still incidents where fire is proving destructive.

"We do see trees die, and we are seeing trees die from this," said Bailey

While wildfires are of great concern there is another pressing issue caused by the heat and dryness. A small insect – the Southern Pine Beetle is tiny, it is about one third the size of a grain of rice. They become a lot more active in such droughts and the trees suffer. The way it causes damage is by actually killing the tree from the inside out.

The beetle gets underneath the bark, between that and the wood and that’s where the damage is caused.

There is no way to control what is going on with the rain but we can help the trees. If the trees are thinned effectively and have plenty of growing room the Southern Pine Beetle can usually be fought off.

Hopefully we will be able to see some rain soon and put and end to the major problems.