US hardwood plywood imports were down 1% in April, the fourth consecutive month-on-month decline. A total of 211,096 cu.m. were imported in April, worth US$122.1 million. Year-to-date import volumes remain slightly higher (+1%) than in April 2015, but the value of year-to date plywood imports decreased 7% compared to 2015.
Lower plywood imports from China and Indonesia were largely responsible for lower April figures.
Jan-16 | Feb-16 | Mar-16 | Apr-16 | % Change (year-on-year) | |
Total | 268,282 | -10% | |||
China | 159,586 | -10% | |||
Indonesia | 36,701 | -37% | |||
Ecuador | 4,563 | 24% | |||
Canada | 15,327 | 12% | |||
Russia | 23,874 | 1% | |||
Malaysia | 3,780 | -42% | |||
Other | 24,451 | 8% |
Source: US Department of Commerce, US Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Statistics
Imports from China were 101,187 cu.m. in April, down 10% from March while imports from Indonesia fell by 37% monthon-month to 23,380 cu.m. Malaysian shipment plunged by over 40% from March to 5,265 cu.m.
Year-to-date plywood imports from Malaysia were down 21%. Plywood imports from Russia, Canada and Ecuador gained in April as did imports from Uruguay (5,413 cu.m.), Guatemala (3,537 cu.m.) and Brazil (2,356 cu.m.).