15 November 2013: The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) published the 1-15 November issue of the Tropical Timber Market (TTM) Report, highlighting a decision by the Government of the United States to reverse the anti-dumping duties on Chinese plywood based on the lack of evidence of harm to domestic producers.

Also in the US, the report notes an increase in wood furniture imports from Mexico and Indonesia. In the European Union (EU), wood furniture imports declined during 2013. The report also gives mention to the Brazilian Association for the Mechanically Processed Timber Industry (ABIMCI) and National Forum of Forest-Based Activities (FNABF) report on Brazil’s timber industry. This publication notes the importance of wood processing industries in Brazil and highlights that the forestry sector currently accounts for 735,000 direct jobs and more than 35 percent of the county’s trade surplus.

The report further highlights an emerging shift in Central and West Africa away from stagnant European markets towards markets in Asia and the Pacific. The report also notes that teak log shipments from Myanmar in October were the highest in six months, in part due to the return of buyers from India. However, elsewhere in Asia, the report states that land purchases in China are slowing indicating a potential slowdown in development. Consumer confidence remains low in Japan.

In addition to the headline stories, the report contains tropical timber market reports from Brazil, China, Ghana, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar and Peru. The report further 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 21]