EUROPEAN FORESTRY COMMISSION Thirtieth session Rome, 10 October 2000 TIMBER COMMITTEE Fifty-eighth session SOFTWOODS: SAWNWOOD AND LOGS Secretariat introduction by Mr. Ed Pepke Mr. Matti Sihvonen, Director, Wood Products Unit, Finnish Forest Industries Federation, Helsinki Dr. Eduard Akim, Head, Department of Technology of Pulp and Composite Materials, St. Petersburg

EUROPEAN FORESTRY COMMISSION Thirtieth session Rome, 10 October 2000 TIMBER COMMITTEE Fifty-eighth session INTRODUCTORY TOPICS Overview of Forest Products Annual Market Review, findings Sawnwood forecasts for 2000 and 2001 –Europe –North America –Russian Federation Log forecasts for 2000 and 2001

EUROPEAN FORESTRY COMMISSION Thirtieth session Rome, 10 October 2000 TIMBER COMMITTEE Fifty-eighth session Forest Products Annual Market Review, findings (1 of 3) Consumption, production and trade of sawn softwood rose to record levels in North America and Europe in1999 and were even stronger in early Consumption of sawn softwood in the ECE region grew 4% in 1999, with growth of 6% in North America, 3% in Europe and a decrease of 18% in Russia. Strong economies in North America and Europe are driving demand for sawnwood for construction and other uses.

EUROPEAN FORESTRY COMMISSION Thirtieth session Rome, 10 October 2000 TIMBER COMMITTEE Fifty-eighth session Forest Products Annual Market Review, findings (2 of 3) Prices moved in opposite directions in 2000, falling to near-term lows in North America and firming in Europe. The United States increased imports by over 1 million m3, with much of the new increase coming from Europe, as well as new sources from South America and Russia. Germany became the largest sawnwood producer in Europe and continues to be the greatest consumer by far.

EUROPEAN FORESTRY COMMISSION Thirtieth session Rome, 10 October 2000 TIMBER COMMITTEE Fifty-eighth session Forest Products Annual Market Review, findings (3 of 3) Central and eastern European countries are rapidly increasing domestic consumption, albeit from low levels, and are succeeding in finding new export markets in western Europe, United States and Asia. Russian Federation exports increased dramatically in 1999, although production fell. The ongoing recovery from the 1998 Asian economic crisis allowed ECE region exporters’ markets in Japan to rebound.

EUROPEAN FORESTRY COMMISSION Thirtieth session Rome, 10 October 2000 TIMBER COMMITTEE Fifty-eighth session EUROPE: SAWN SOFTWOOD

EUROPEAN FORESTRY COMMISSION Thirtieth session Rome, 10 October 2000 TIMBER COMMITTEE Fifty-eighth session EUROPE: SAWN SOFTWOOD

EUROPEAN FORESTRY COMMISSION Thirtieth session Rome, 10 October 2000 TIMBER COMMITTEE Fifty-eighth session SWEDISH SAWN SOFTWOOD PRICES

EUROPEAN FORESTRY COMMISSION Thirtieth session Rome, 10 October 2000 TIMBER COMMITTEE Fifty-eighth session NORTH AMERICA: SAWN SOFTWOOD

EUROPEAN FORESTRY COMMISSION Thirtieth session Rome, 10 October 2000 TIMBER COMMITTEE Fifty-eighth session NORTH AMERICA: SAWN SOFTWOOD

EUROPEAN FORESTRY COMMISSION Thirtieth session Rome, 10 October 2000 TIMBER COMMITTEE Fifty-eighth session NORTH AMERICAN SAWN SOFTWOOD PRICES

EUROPEAN FORESTRY COMMISSION Thirtieth session Rome, 10 October 2000 TIMBER COMMITTEE Fifty-eighth session RUSSIA: SAWN SOFTWOOD

EUROPEAN FORESTRY COMMISSION Thirtieth session Rome, 10 October 2000 TIMBER COMMITTEE Fifty-eighth session EUROPE: SOFTWOOD LOGS

EUROPEAN FORESTRY COMMISSION Thirtieth session Rome, 10 October 2000 TIMBER COMMITTEE Fifty-eighth session EUROPE: SOFTWOOD LOG TRADE

EUROPEAN FORESTRY COMMISSION Thirtieth session Rome, 10 October 2000 TIMBER COMMITTEE Fifty-eighth session NORTH AMERICA: SOFTWOOD LOGS

EUROPEAN FORESTRY COMMISSION Thirtieth session Rome, 10 October 2000 TIMBER COMMITTEE Fifty-eighth session NORTH AMERICA: SOFTWOOD LOGS

EUROPEAN FORESTRY COMMISSION Thirtieth session Rome, 10 October 2000 TIMBER COMMITTEE Fifty-eighth session NEXT SOFTWOOD PRESENTATIONS Mr. Matti Sihvonen, Director, Wood Products Unit Finnish Forest Industries Federation, Helsinki Dr. Eduard Akim, Head, Department of Technology of Pulp and Composite Materials, St. Petersburg