An Analysis of Appalachian Hardwood Products in the Chinese Market
Keywords:
Log and lumber export, wood trade, survey, market analysis, Appalachian hardwoodAbstract
To improve information on log and lumber trade between the Appalachian region of the United States and China, 50 Chinese firms identified as potential and current hardwood products buyers were surveyed using a stratified random sampling method from January to May 2008. A series of questions were posed on the importance of certain attributes of the US products and how to make the trading process more efficient. Sampled information included business activities, location(s), annual sales, product distribution of firms importing hardwood products, customer satisfaction, potential barriers to trade, principal sources of supply, product types, grades, and species of hardwood products imported from the United States. Results indicated that the Appalachian region of the United States is an important hardwood source and will continue to play an important role in the Chinese market. Red and white oaks were the most frequently imported species, followed by hard (sugar) maple, black cherry, soft maple, and ash. The Appalachian hardwood logs entered the markets largely in east and north central China, whereas the hardwood lumber importers were mainly distributed in east, south, and north central China. Some ongoing issues such as the impact of Russia's log tariff, the Lacey Act, and others on China's wood supply were also raised. The results should be helpful for Appalachian hardwood producers to further explore opportunities to promote their products in the Chinese markets.References
Armstrong JP, Ponzurick TG, Luppold WG (1993) US hardwood lumber exports to Canada: An assessment of market segments. For Prod J 43(6):13-18.nBowe SA, Bumgardner MS, Wang X (2006) An assessment of hardwood lumber markets in China. Pages 460-469 in Proc of 15th Central Hardwood Forest Conference. February 27 - March 1, 2006, Knoxville, TN.nBuehlmann U, Bumgardner M, Schuler A, Barford M (2007) Assessing the impacts of global competition on the Appalachian hardwood industry. For Prod J 57(3):89-93.nCFCN (2009) Directories of Chinese companies receiving FSC forest management certification. China Forest Certification Network. http://www.cfcn.cn/xiang.asp?id=861'>http://www.cfcn.cn/xiang.asp?id=861nCTDA (2007) Membership directory. China Timber Distribution Association in China, Beijing, China.nFAO (2009) FAOSTAT-Forestry. Food and Agricultural Organization. United Nations. http://faostat.fao.org/site/630/default.aspx'>http://faostat.fao.org/site/630/default.aspxnGlobal Wood (2008) Market info—China wood products prices. 15 February 2008. http://www.globalwood.org/market1/aaw20080201d.htm'>http://www.globalwood.org/market1/aaw20080201d.htmnGlobal Wood (2009a) Market info—China wood products prices. 1-15 June 2009. http://www.globalwood.org/market/timber_prices_2009/aaw20090601d.htm'>http://www.globalwood.org/market/timber_prices_2009/aaw20090601d.htmnGlobal Wood (2009b) Market info—China wood products prices. 1-15 March 2009. http://www.globalwood.org/market1/aaw20090301d.htm'>http://www.globalwood.org/market1/aaw20090301d.htmnGregg R, Porges A (2008) Amendment to the US Lacey Act: Implications for Chinese forest products exporters. Forest trends. http://www.illegal-logging.info/uploads/LaceyActBriefChinaEN.pdf'>http://www.illegal-logging.info/uploads/LaceyActBriefChinaEN.pdfnIHB (2008) China reports strong timber trade data for 2007. http://www.ihb.de/fordaq/news/China_timber_trade_16578.html'>http://www.ihb.de/fordaq/news/China_timber_trade_16578.htmlnLuppold WG, Sendak PE (2004) Analysis of the interaction between timber markets and the forest resources of Maine. Nor J Appl For 21(3):135-143.nPetry M, Zou Q (2007) China, Peoples Republic of Solid wood products annual 2007. USDA Foreign Agriculture Service Gain Report, CH7057.nSun X, Hammett AL (1999) Chinese furniture industry: Its development and wood use. For Prod J 49(10): 31-35.nSun X, Katsigris E, White A (2008) Meeting China's demand for forest products: An overview of import trends, ports of entry, and supplying countries, with emphasis on the Asia-Pacific region. http://www.forest-trends.org/documents/publications/China%20Import%20Overview_English06-02.pdf'>http://www.forest-trends.org/documents/publications/China%20Import%20Overview_English06-02.pdfnUrban H (2002) US furniture makers heed the great call of China. Wood Wood Prod 4:64-72.nUSDA (2008) Foreign Agriculture Service online database. http://www.fas.usda.gov/ustrade/'>http://www.fas.usda.gov/ustrade/nUSDC (2008) TradeStats Express online database. US Department of Commerce. http://tse.export.gov/'>http://tse.export.gov/nWang J, Wu J, DeVallance D, Armstrong J (2009) Appalachian hardwood product exports—An analysis of the current Chinese market. For Prod J (in review).nZhang D, Liu J, Granskog J, Gan J (1998) China: Changing wood products markets. For Prod J 48(6):14-20.n
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
The copyright of an article published in Wood and Fiber Science is transferred to the Society of Wood Science and Technology (for U. S. Government employees: to the extent transferable), effective if and when the article is accepted for publication. This transfer grants the Society of Wood Science and Technology permission to republish all or any part of the article in any form, e.g., reprints for sale, microfiche, proceedings, etc. However, the authors reserve the following as set forth in the Copyright Law:
1. All proprietary rights other than copyright, such as patent rights.
2. The right to grant or refuse permission to third parties to republish all or part of the article or translations thereof. In the case of whole articles, such third parties must obtain Society of Wood Science and Technology written permission as well. However, the Society may grant rights with respect to Journal issues as a whole.
3. The right to use all or part of this article in future works of their own, such as lectures, press releases, reviews, text books, or reprint books.
