Lumber review

Title

Lumber review

Creator

Tamesis, Florencio

Language

English

Source

The American Chamber of Commerce Journal Volume XVII (Issue No.4) April 1937

Year

1937

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

42 THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE JOURNAL April, 1937 LUMBER REVIEW By FLORENCIO TAMESIS Director, Bureau of Forestry The following statements show the lumber and timber exports, by countries, and the mill production and lumber inventories for the month of January, 1937, as compared with the corres ponding month of the previous year: Statement Showing Lumber and Timber Export During the Month of Japan China Great Britain United States. . Unsawn Timber.. Sawn Lumber......... January, 1936 and 1937 1937 1936 Quantity in Customs DcBoard Feet dared Value Quantity in Hoard Feet Customs De clared Value . Unsawn Timber. . 20 395,672 1’367.626 Sawn Lumber......... 4,240 400 5,560,760 P100.705 .Unsawn Timber.. 957,392 14,491 Sawn Lumber......... 47,912 2,631 319,272 6,874 4 L u m b e r and timber exports in January totalled 23,782,160 board feet, compared with 8,054,728 board feet for the correspond ing month in 1936. Demand in Japan was unusually ac tive; 20,395,672 board feet of round logs, or 851 c <>f the total exports during the month under review, were consigned to that market. Prices of Philippine timber in Japan are reported to have gone up, although this gain is consider ably offset by the recent rise in freight rates. Japanese timber buyers continue to seek for new sources of supply and it is generally ex pected that this year’s exportation of log to Japan will surpass that of 1936. In this con nection, for year we have been calling attention to the wisdom of curtailing the shipment of logs abroad, particularly to countries which buy round logs and none but an insignificant amount of sgwn lumber. Nothing so far has been done about it. In the meanwhile, local lumber manufacturers are feeling the keen competition of Philippine lumber sawn in Japan and re exported abroad, even to the Philippines. This is to the great detriment of not only the saw milling industry of the islands but also to Philip pine labor. Prom present, indications, consump tion of Philippine logs in Japan is bound to increase and it is hoped that some act ion towards its curtailment will be taken before it is too late. China is another large buyer of Philippine round logs but unlike Japan she takes in a considerable amount of .sawn lumber at the same time. During the month under review, this market consumed an aggregate of 1,005,304 board feet of Philippine woods, 957,392 board feet of which were logs and 47,912 board feet sawn lumber, compared with a total of 319,372 board feet for the corresponding month in 1936. This market has manifested considerable strength since last December but as to whether this will be sustained in the next few months to come remains to be seen, as usually the demand from this source is usually irregular. The shipping strike in the Pacific Coast naturally resulted in a considerable falling off of lumber and timber shipments to the United States. Lumber and timber exports to this country in January aggregated 627,096 board feet, which was 1,644,272 board feet below that of the previous month and 498,200 board feet less than the shipments for January last year. There is, however, a large volume of existing orders in producers’ books and prospects for the next few months are bright. Shipments to Australia during the month under review fell off considerably from the previous month but this was offset to a large extent by a comparatively large consumption in New Zealand. Demands in South Africa and Great Britain were comparatively strong. Consumption by these markets in January consisted entirely of sawn lumber. The situation in the domestic market con tinued favorable. Prices were considerably better in January than those prevailing during the corresponding month in 1936. The outlook for this year is bright in view, particularly, of the increasing use of timber in the mines. Mill production during the month under review in creased 3% compared with the figure for the corresponding period last year. Total deliveries was slightly below production. This, however, was merely a reflection of the shipping strike in the Pacific Coast. British Africa.. . . .Unsawn Timber.. ___ Sawn Lumber.......... . Unsawn Timber.. . . Sawn Lumber......... .... Unsawn Timber.. . . Sawn Lumber......... Portuguese Africa......... Unsawn Timber.. . . Sawn Lumber....... . . Unsawn Timber.. . . Sawn Lumber, . . . . . Unsawn Timber.. . . Sawn Lumber......... , Unsawn Timber.. . Sawn Lumber........ Unsawn Timber. Sawn Lumbe Sweden.. . Australia. Ireland.. Finland. Egypt. Hongkong Singapore . Total Grand Total.. . Unsawn Timin' Sawn Lumber.. Unsawn Timber. . Sawn Lumber. . . . Unsawn Timber.. Sawn Lumber....... . Unsawn Timber. . Sawn Lumber....... . Unsawn Timber. . . Sawn Lumber......... .Unsawn Timber. Sawn Lumber.. . 627,096 47,488 21,523,088 6,111,536 1’132,226 2,259,072 1,943,192 113,753 23,782,160 1*566,961 8,054,728 1*245,979 INSURANCE For Every Need and Purpose WORKMEN’S COMPENSATION PUBLIC LIABILITY AUTOMOBILE FIRE MARINE ACCIDENT PLATE GLASS $ ATLAS ASSURANCE CO. LTD. THE EMPLOYER’S LIABILITY CONTINENTAL INSURANCE CO. ASSURANCE CORPORATION LTD. ORIENT INSURANCE COMPANY INSURANCE COMPANY OF NORTH AMERICA General Agents E. E. I I SI I . INC. Telephone 2-24-28 — MANILA — Kneedler Building IN RESPONDING TO ADVERTISEMENTS PLEASE MENTION THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE JOURNAL

pages

42

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