China's Timber Consumption to Hit 240 Mln Cubic Meters in 2010
Copyright 2000 Asia Pulse Pte Limited
November 15, 2000
China's consumption of timber is likely to reach 240 million cubic meters of timber by 2010 if the rate of increase in market demand continues, experts say.
Vice-president of the China Timber Circulation Association Li Xiaobin said that currently, China logs 80 million cubic meters of timber from its rapidly depleting forests every year, but still needs another 60 million to satisfy demand.
The most effective way to meet domestic demands will be to increase timber imports, he said. For this purpose, China has cut its timber import duty from 50 percent to about 5 percent.
Russia, New Zealand, Africa and South America would be the major source of timber imports to China, he said while attending an international forum on timber trade held in Fuzhou, capital of east China's Fujian Province, from November 13 to 14.
The forum has attracted more than 600 experts, scholars and government official from 28 countries and regions.