Central/West Africa: Prices unchanged due to slow trading

  • November 19, 2008
  • • Джерело: ITTO's Tropical Timber Market Report
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There are no price changes to report during the first two weeks of November. Trade has been very slow but basically was in balance because production and stock levels have been kept very low. The rainy season in Gabon and Cameroon has been hampering logging and as a consequence sawmill production was limited. China has continued to buy, and while India has been less active, trade was still being conducted. Prices for the favored species have not moved, and Vietnam has proved to be a more active buyer over the past few months for the lower rated species. A few sales have been made to North Africa but prices have been very high. Experts suggest that some buyers may have been able to negotiate a slightly lower price, while at the same time some producers may be able to apply a price premium for higher quality or special size specifications. These price differences were unlikely to be more than a very few dollars up or down and were not affecting the general stability of prices as producers have stopped cutting any species for which there is no interest from buyers.

In general, European importers have been reducing stocks to a bare minimum. In the UK, companies in secondary and tertiary processing such as windows and doors have experienced marked slowdown in demand, and some small and medium-sized businesses have been forced to close or have reduced staff and production. One larger company (Palgrave Brown) has gone into administration and forecasts for 2009 for European housing and construction business are not positive for West African exporters.

Central/West Africa
West Africa logs, FOB € per m³
Asian market
LM
B
BC/C
Acajou/ Khaya/N'Gollon
221 
191 
137
Ayous/Obéché/Wawa
206 
206 
168 
Azobe & Ekki
168
168
122
Belli
168
168 
-
Bibolo/Dibétou
168 
168 
114
Bubinga
533
457
381
Iroko
289 
274 
259
Okoume (60% CI, 40% CE, 20% CS)
132
-
-
Moabi
259
259
206
Movingui
191
191
137
Niove
129
129
-
Okan
162
162
135
Padouk
259 
259 
229 
Sapele
251
251
191
Sipo/Utile
305
305
228
Tali
152
152
114 


West Africa sawnwood, FOB
€ per m³
Ayous FAS GMS
335 
Fixed sizes 396
Okoumé FAS GMS
300
Sel. & Bet. GMS Italy
250
Sel. & Bet. fixed sizes
-  
Sipo FAS GMS
585
FAS fixed sizes
-
FAS scantlings
585
Padouk FAS GMS
585 
FAS scantlings
585
Strips
425
Sapele FAS Spanish sizes
520
FAS scantlings
520
Iroko FAS GMS
458
Scantlings
519
Strips
304
Khaya FAS GMS
396
FAS fixed
427
Maobi FAS GMS
580
Scantlings
580
Movingui FAS GMS
420