Australian lumber market quiet for NZ lumber

he Australian lumber market remains subdued due to limited building activity. This market is not expected to rebound in the short-term, therefore should not be relied upon by NZ lumber exporters. Lumber imports into Australia picked up a little in May 2012 but still remain well below year ago levels. Imports of sawn timber (exceeding 6mm thick) in the 5 months to May 2012 were down 24%. However the volume imported from New Zealand actually increased whilst the volume of timber imported from Europe dropped dramatically to 60% below year ago levels. Australian demand for imported moldings has increased significantly with the majority of this grade of timber being supplied by European countries. Source: www.nzxagri.co.nz/agrifax