According to a press release, Russia has made huge strides in supplying softwood logs and more recently sawn timber to North Asian markets - especially to China. In 2000, New Zealand exported 25% of the total volume of softwood sawn timber that China imported that year, a very similar volume and percentage as Russia did that year.

But how times change!

In 2017, Russia supplied >33 times more softwood sawn timber to China than NZ did. In total it supplied more than twice as much softwood "Round Wood Equivalent" volume to China as New Zealand did, even as NZ was the world`s largest softwood log supplier to China.

So what about the future?

That question is taxing the politicians and wood specialists of both Russia and China in 2018, and several important meetings are being held mid- year to discuss future new regions & species available. It will also Discuss the (huge) investment and infrastructure necessary to prevent Russian exports declining markedly, as the Russian Far East supplies (reliable for 30 years) start to run dry.

DANA is delighted to confirm that one of the most knowledgeable Chinese experts on the current and predicted future Russian wood exports to China will speak at the DANA 2018 NZ Conference. We are just finalising details this week. We have also asked this expert to provide the answer to the question:

The Future of Russian Log and Sawn Timber Exports to China and to North Asia: The Death Knell for the New Zealand Forestry Sector - Or Its Saviour?

This address fits in very well the theme of this year`s conference which is:
"Does the New Zealand Industry Have to be World Class to Compete in the World?"

Planning for this year`s DANA Forest Conference and Field Trip is now all but complete, with 18 presenters and panelists, and a 1 ½ post conference field trip (Field trip seats are limited - in 2017 we had to close off registrations early)

For all conference and field trip information see website or contact Julie Bell admin@dana.co.nz.