30 June 2013: The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) has launched the 16-30 June issue of the Tropical Timber Market (TTM) Report, which notes that Spain has increased the illegal timber danger rating to high for the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Mozambique. The publication also shows that Europe’s domestic plywood industry is under increasing threat due to rising production costs and increased competition from imports combined with decreased demand.

The TTM Report’s headline story focuses on Japan, where a projected 40 per cent decrease in the demand for tropical timber is expected as a result of the closure of one of the country’s tropical timber mills. This projected decrease has occurred despite stable overall demand and a rapid increase in new housing starts in Japan. Elsewhere in Asia, the report notes increases in log imports in China linked to higher demand for redwood furniture. The market in China may also be influenced, according to the report, by the opening of a new timber technology institute focusing on the promotion of South American timber species. Finally, the report mentions positive trends in terms of timber exports from India and Indonesia.

In the US, although overall sawn hardwood imports fell in April, the import of tropical hardwoods actually increased over the same period.

In addition to its headline stories, the TTM contains tropical timber market reports from Brazil, China, Ghana, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar and Peru. It also recounts regional tropical timber market statistics from Central and West Africa, Europe and North America.

The TTM Report is published through the ITTO Market Information Service (MIS) with the aim of improving transparency in the international tropical timber market. [Publication: Tropical Timber Market Report – Issue 17 Number 12]