BRASÍLIA: March 2016 exports of wood-based products (except pulp and paper) from Brazil declined 15% in value compared to March 2015, from $282.3 million to $239.6 million, ITTO reported. The value of March 2016 pine sawnwood exports increased a massive 30% year on year from $25.4 million to $33.1 million. There was a corresponding increase in the volume of exports (108,300 cubic metres to 171,900 cubic metres) however, average export prices were down in March.
Tropical sawnwood exports increased 16% in volume, from 31,100 cubic metres in March 2015 to 36,100 cubic metres in March this year but there was only a 1.2% increase in export earnings ($16.5 million to $16.7 million). March 2016 pine plywood exports fell 22% year-on-year from $46.8 million to $36.5 million but, at the same time, the volume of exports increased 12%, from 127,400 cubic metres to 142,600 cubic metres.
Brazil’s March tropical plywood exports increased 19% in volume, from 9,500 cubic metres in March 2015 to 11,300 cubic metres in March this year, but export earnings fell 4.3%. To wrap up the depressing story on March exports, the value of wooden furniture exports dropped 18.5% from $46 million in March last year to $37.5 million in March this year.
