Central/West Africa: Producers still optimistic on Q3 prospects

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ITTO/Fordaq
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Only a few price adjustments have been reported, mostly prices remain firm and unchanged. Exporters report continued good demand from China and other major markets and expect the current market stability to be maintained through to the third quarter of the year.

Reports indicate steadily increasing demand from buyers for the Chinese market and buyers in the Middle East are now active. Encouragingly, buyers in Asia are committing to regular supply contracts rather than the previous shortterm ‘one-off’ purchase policy.

Business for China is brisk in the large size ‘slabs’ such as 200 x 200mm, 150 x 150 and 100 x 200 in several species. Dabema, belli and okan are mentioned with slab prices of around Euro 320 to 350 cu.m fob. Bubinga/kevazingo is the most sought after timber but supplies are very limited.

Business in European markets is said to be good despite shipments being a little slower due to the July/August vacation period. Analysts write, “the market outlook appears to indicate stable price and supply conditions through into the fourth quarter.”

South Africa is the exception to an otherwise stable trading environment. The South African government is yet to begin its infrastructure development programme and this has unsettled the construction sector with no sign of a return to confidence or of significant new investments in infrastructure projects.

Azobe losing out to bamboo

The UK Timber Trades Journal reports a large international transport and heavy engineering company is changing from azobe to laminated bamboo beams and support timbers used in heavy lifting and transport throughout the company’s worldwide operations. The main reason given by the company is its concern over the use of ‘hardwood from tropical forests’ and says bamboo is a sustainable resource.

In a reaction to this, analysts write “There is no doubt the trade in tropical timber suffers from long term adverse publicity and has not been able so far to put forward any concerted positive publicity to convince the public of the many advances over the past years in forest care and the sustainability of tropical timber supplies.”

Details still awaited on Gabon’s kiln drying policy

There have been no new developments regarding appointments to the Gabon Forestry Department to replace staff recently dismissed. The Minister has yet to consider the proposed policy on kiln drying of export timbers.

This issue seems to have been shelved temporarily because of the recent staff changes in the Forestry Department.

Also from Gabon, it has been reported that the scope of the ‘Logging Roads Initiative’, hosted by Gabon to identify illegal forest incursions by satellite imagery of forest roads, is to be expanded through a project aiming to generate more details of logging illegal operations.

The original project covers the entire Congo Basin – Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Congo and the expanded activities will also encompass the entire Congo Basin.

Log Export Prices

West Africa logs, FOB € per m³
Asian market
LM
B
BC/C
Acajou/ Khaya/N’Gollon
245
240
160
Ayous/Obéché/Wawa
240
240
190
Azobe & Ekki
230
230
160
Belli
250
250
Bibolo/Dibétou
180
170
 
Bilinga
230
230
-
Iroko 325
300
265
Okoume (60% CI, 40% CE, 20% CS) (China only) 245 240 185
Moabi 330 300 235
Movingui 210
210
160
Niove
175
160
Okan
230
205
Padouk
300
280
230
Sapele 290 280 220
Sipo/Utile
310
290
255
Tali 330 320

 

Sawnwood Export Prices

West Africa sawnwood, FOB
€ per m³
Ayous FAS GMS 430
Bilinga FAS GMS 530
Okoumé FAS GMS
430
Merchantable 300
Std/Btr GMS 350
Sipo FAS GMS
540
FAS fixed sizes 555
FAS scantlings 560
Padouk FAS GMS 870
FAS scantlings 990
Strips 645
Sapele FAS Spanish sizes 505
FAS scantlings 510
Iroko FAS GMS 630
Scantlings 710
Strips
410
Khaya FAS GMS
450
FAS fixed
470
Maobi FAS GMS
620
Scantlings
630
Movingui FAS GMS
430
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