Commonwealth Forests

Chapter 3: Benefits from the forest
INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS

Introduction

Production and consumption of industrial roundwood in Commonwealth countries are summarised in Table 3.1.  Complete figures are available in Annex 4.1 Roundwood production in the Commonwealth is 21% of the global total.  The largest Commonwealth roundwood producer is Canada, by a long way. Other significant producers (more than 19 M m³/year) include Australia, Malaysia, South Africa, India, New Zealand, but none of them are more than 10% of Canada’s total.

The principle Commonwealth roundwood importing countries (more than 100 thousand m³/year) are Canada, followed by India, UK, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Malaysia, while the principle Commonwealth roundwood exporting countries (more than 100 thousand m³/year) are Malaysia, New Zealand, Canada, Papua New Guinea, Australia and Solomon Islands.  The Caribbean SIDS are roundwood importers, but the Pacific island SIDS are often exporters.

Roundwood consumption does not necessarily mean that the production figure net of imports and exports is all used domestically; it may be processed and exported, or imports may be re-exported.

Figures for the production of processed wood products by some Commonwealth countries are summarised in the Table below; they include sawnwood, wood-based panels (plywood, particleboard, fibreboard etc), pulp and paper and paperboard.

Canada is by far the largest producer in all four categories of processed wood products.  Other important producers of sawnwood include India, Malaysia, New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, South Africa and Nigeria. After Canada, the main producers of wood-based panels are Malaysia, the United Kingdom, India, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, and the main producers of pulp for paper, after Canada, are India, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. Finally, the main producers of paper and paperboard, after Canada, are the United Kingdom, India, South Africa and Australia.