Strong Growth in Use of Wood Products
According to Statistics NZ, in its recently released "Forestry Flow Account 1996-2002", there was a strong increase in the use of wood products within NZ between 1996 and 2002. This increase occurred despite the Asian financial crisis depressing the market between 1998 and 1999. Over this period domestic use of plywood increased dramatically by 367 percent (or 286,000m³ of roundwood equivalent), and particleboard use increased by 134 percent (or 98,000m³ of roundwood equivalent). These increases occurred predominantly in the furniture manufacturing and residential construction industries.
Exports of wood and wood products increased by over a third (by 40 percent or almost five million m³ of roundwood equivalent) for the period 1996 to 2002. Most of these exports were to Australia (one-quarter) and Japan (one-fifth). NZ's forestry industry contributed around $3,000 million in 2004 directly to NZ's Gross Domestic Product (around 3 percent) and provided around 100,000 jobs.
The Forestry Flow Account 1996-2002 report and accompanying tables can be found on the Environmental Statistics webpage - www.stats.govt.nz/environment |
Contact for Enquiries
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
Pastoral House
25 The Terrace
PO Box 2526, Wellington
Tel: 0800 00 83 33
Fax: +64 4 894 0720
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