British Columbia’s forest industry in August set a new one-month standard for softwood lumber exports to China, Forests and Range Minister Pat Bell announced Monday.
The province sold 257 million board feet of lumber, which “by far and away was the best sales month we have seen to date,” Bell said in a news release.
“We have already sold nearly 1.5 billion board feet, and are on track to reach somewhere in the neighbourhood of 2.5 billion board feet in 2010.”
The ministry said exports to China in the first eight months of the year are valued at about $342 million, up 71 per cent compared with $200 million for the same period in 2009.
Bell expects accelerating sales in the fourth quarter as a result of what the ministry bills as the “largest ever B.C. forestry trade mission,” which will run from Oct. 28 to Nov. 8.
The trade mission will meet with government officials and pursue commercial deals with suppliers, manufacturers and building developers, the ministry said. Several agreements will be signed in addition to tours of new wood manufacturing facilities, earthquake reconstruction and commercial wood-frame building sites.
“The upcoming trade mission will add to the growing sales momentum, keeping us on track to reach our goal of exporting four billion board feet of lumber by the end of 2011,” Bell said.
According to BC Stats, lumber export rose 11.6 per cent overall, from January through August, compared with the same period in 2009.
Most of B.C.’s major markets saw growth. Exports to the United States rose 4.4 per cent; exports to Japan rose 14.4 per cent. Exports to the European Union rose 19 per cent; exports to China were up 33 per cent.
Meanwhile, a pair of small sawmills announced that they are reopening, showing further evidence that B.C.’s forest industry is recovering from the 2008 global economic meltdown.TRC Cedar Mill is reopening, putting 30 people to work in McBride, and National Choice Specialty Wood will reopen in response to demand growth in China, providing 10 jobs to sawmill workers.
ssimpson@vancouversun.com
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