Japan’s Forestry Agency projected the country’s wood supply of structural laminated lumber for 2017 is up +5.2 per cent, and that of plywood is up +3.2 per cent compared to the previous year, said Japan Lumber Reports Friday.
New housing starts in Japan are forecast by eleven private think tanks based on GDP for 1Q 2017 is 940,000 units, a drop of 3.5 per cent from 2016’s 974,000 units, said Japan Lumber Reports.
The Agency wood demand 2017 projection for structural laminated lumber is up 7.4 per cent for domestic products and 1 per cent for imports.
Domestic production rose 15.3 per cent in 1Q 2017 over the same period last year, and for 2Q 2017 is projected to increase another 10 per cent.
Domestic plywood supply production for 1Q 2017 was project- ed to be us 3.6 per cent and imports would be up for 2.7 per cent