KUCHING: Sarawak’s exports of logs and timber products jumped by about 15 percent or RM48 million in free on board (FOB) values to RM368.2 million in November from RM320.3 million in October 2019.
Logs and key timber products, like plywood, sawn timber, fibreboard and veneer, all recorded higher export volumes month-on-month.
In November, the state shipped out 101,287 cubic metres (cu m) of logs worth about RM66.3 million (FOB), which was sharply higher than 88,907 cu m valued at RM49.7 million in October. The September export was 56,121 cu m worth RM44.8 million, according to statistics from Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC). During January-November 2019 period, Sarawak earned about RM662.9 million in foreign exchange from exports of 1.183 million cu m of logs.
India is the single largest export market for Sarawak logs, absorbing 65,814 cu m (worth (RM46.97 million) or 65 percent of the total export volume in November.
For the first 11 months, India has purchased 526,589 cu m (RM432.5 million) or about 44.5 percent of Sarawak’s total export volume.
Indonesia imported 12,765 cu m of logs — all planted species acacia mangium — worth about RM2.8 million from Sarawak in November, bringing its total imports in the 11 months to 510,380 cu m valued at (RM111.1 million).
Taiwan is Sarawak’s third largest export market, taking 64,548 cu m of logs (RM57.2 million) during the January-November period, followed by Japan’s 32,712 cu m (RM28.1 million). Vietnam imported 27,571 cu m (RM18.4 million) and China 17,320 cu m (RM12.5 million). Korea is the other log buyer, importing 4,199 cu m (RM3.09 million) from Sarawak.
In November, Sarawak exported 95,634 cu m of plywood worth RM180 million, which was a significant improvement from October’s 87,737 cu m (RM169.8 million). For the first 11 months, the state has exported about 1.038 million cu m of panel products valued at RM2.11 billion to some 30 countries.
Exports of plywood to Japan surged to 66,076 cu m (RM130.7 million) from 59,450 cu m (RM122 million) in October and 47,971 cu m (RM98.8 million) in September. In the first 11 months, Japan imported 681,829 cu m (RM1.49 billion) or more than 65 percent of the state’s total export volume of 1.038 million cu m.
Yemen, Korea and Taiwan are the second, third and fourth biggest importers of Sarawak plywood with value of RM160.8 million, RM135.6 million and RM124.9 million respectively in the first 11 months.
This was followed by Australia, with imports of RM27.2 million from the state.
On sawn timber, STIDC figures showed that exports in November climbed to 29,403 cu m (RM54.7 million) up from October’s 23,911 cu m (RM39.1 million), bringing total exports in the first 11 months to 295,186 cu m (RM545 million).
Philippines is the largest buyer, absorbing 69,558 cu m (RM135 million) or 23.5 percent of the state’s total export volume. Other key buyers are Yemen with imports of 62,402 cu m (RM117.9 million), Thailand 47,482 cu m (RM66.9 million) and Taiwan 33, 893 cu m (RM59.8 million).
Fibreboard is another key export timber product for Sarawak, which earned about RM31.4 million from the shipment of 17,227 cu m in November as compared to 14,520 cu m (RM28.7 million) in October. In the first 11 months, exports of fibreboard earned Sarawak about RM323.1 million.
Taiwan is biggest importer of Sarawak veneer
The bulk of the fibreboard exports went to Japan, which absorbed 136,729 cu m valued at RM261.8 million or more than 80 percent of the state’s export earnings. Other buyers are Philippines (RM27.9 million), Indonesia (RM13.3 million) and Vietnam (RM10 million).
Sarawak’s exports of veneer increased to 6,129 cu m (RM8.94 million) in November from 5,268 cu m (RM6.81 million) in October. For the first 11 months, total export volume of veneer stood at 64,150 cu m worth RM88.2 million.
Taiwan is the largest export market for Sarawak veneer and that country imported 34,646 cu m (RM41.89 million) or more than 50 percent of the state’s export volume. Other key export markets are Korea (RM20.65 million), Japan (RM9 million) and China (RM7.7 million).
Other timber products exported by Sarawak in the first 11 months are laminated board worth RM39.1 million, particle board RM29.2 million and moulding RM15 million.
However, the state’s exports of furniture and furniture parts fell to 199,763 units (RM3.23 million) in November from 252,115 units (RM3.84 million) in October. Total exports in the first 11 months amounted to 2.9 million units valued at RM40.1 million.
Sarawak raised exports of woodchip to 29,123 tonnes (RM15 million) in November against 6,962 tonnes (RM13.3 million) in October, bringing total exports in the first 11 months to 325,241 tonnes (RM161 million).
