Apparent consumption of veneer sheets in the Asia-Pacific region have increased steadily since the 1960s, and totalled 2 million m3 in 1992, 38% of world's total (Table 35). But, the production data reported by FAO exclude veneer sheets used for plywood production. In 1992, among all countries, the largest consumers were Japan with 989 thousand m3, Malaysia with 438, Thailand with 172, and China with 128 thousand m3. Figure 8 shows that growth of consumption in Malaysia and Thailand has increased very fast in recent years in connection with the rapid growth of their furniture industry (Johnson 1995). China's consumption started growing in 1978 when the economic reforms began.
Production of veneer sheets (excluding that used in domestic plywood production, Table 36) reached 2 million m3 in 1992, which was roughly equal to its consumption. In 1992, the largest producers were Malaysia with 1.2 million m, Japan with 289 thousand, and Thailand with 167 thousand m. Malaysia more than doubled its production between 1982 and 1992 and became increasingly dominant in the region. In contrast, production in Japan has been falling, because the tropical veneer and plywood industries are shrinking as the supply of tropical log diminishes. Thailand's production instead rose sharply from 15 thousand m3 in 1982 to 167 in 1992 because of the demand of domestic industries.
The total imports and exports of veneer sheets for the Asia-Pacific were 954 and 897 thousand m3 in 1992, both accounted for 37% of the world's total (Tables 37 and 38). The two dominant importers in 1992 were Japan with 738 thousand m and China with 125 thousand, which accounted for 77% and 13% of the region's total imports. Veneer logs in both countries are increasingly scarce, and in 1992 net imports represented 73% of total consumption in Japan and 94% in China.
Table 35. Consumption of veneer sheets, in thousand m3, 1962-1992.
|
Country |
1962 |
1972 |
1982 |
1992 |
|
Australia |
28 |
31 |
51 |
41 |
|
Bangladesh |
0 |
18 |
1 |
1 |
|
Bhutan |
|
|
|
|
|
Cambodia |
|
|
|
|
|
China |
0 |
0 |
54 |
128 |
|
Fiji |
0 |
0 |
-3 |
7 |
|
French Polynesia |
|
|
|
|
|
Hong Kong |
0 |
0 |
6 |
5 |
|
India |
0 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
|
Indonesia |
0 |
3 |
0 |
37 |
|
Japan |
7 |
397 |
456 |
989 |
|
Korea Dem People's Rep |
|
|
|
|
|
Korea Rep |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Laos |
|
|
|
|
|
Macau |
|
|
|
|
|
Malaysia |
0 |
113 |
382 |
438 |
|
Myanmar |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Nepal |
|
|
|
|
|
New Caledonia |
|
|
|
|
|
New Zealand |
1 |
16 |
9 |
34 |
|
Pakistan |
0 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
Papua New Guinea |
0 |
0 |
10 |
33 |
|
Philippines |
33 |
0 |
114 |
18 |
|
Samoa |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
Singapore |
0 |
12 |
172 |
77 |
|
Solomon Islands |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Sri Lanka |
|
|
|
|
|
Thailand |
4 |
12 |
10 |
172 |
|
Tonga |
|
|
|
|
|
Vanuatu |
|
|
|
|
|
Viet Nam |
|
|
|
|
|
Asia Pacific |
73 |
608 |
1264 |
1983 |
|
World |
1597 |
3627 |
5133 |
5210 |
|
Share |
5% |
17% |
25% |
38% |
Malaysia is the leading exporter of veneer sheets in the region. In 1992 it exported 765 thousand m3, 85% of the region's total exports. Japan and China are primary destination for Malaysia's exports.
Table 39 displays the direction of trade in veneer sheets in 1992. The data on both imports and exports are quite different from those in Tables 37 and 38. Nonetheless, Table 39 shows that the Asia-Pacific region is a net importer of veneer sheets, with only 5% of total exports shipped to other regions of the world and around one-third originating from other regions.
The United States is the leading exporter of veneer sheets to the region.
Figure 8. Consumption of veneer sheets in Malaysia, Thailand and China, 1961 - 1992.
Table 36. Production of veneer sheets, in thousand m3, 1962-1992.
|
Country |
1962 |
1972 |
1982 |
1992 |
|
Australia |
26 |
14 |
29 |
29 |
|
Bangladesh |
0 |
18 |
1 |
1 |
|
Bhutan |
|
|
|
|
|
Cambodia |
|
|
|
|
|
China |
0 |
2 |
7 |
7 |
|
Fiji |
0 |
1 |
7 |
10 |
|
French Polynesia |
|
|
|
|
|
Hong Kong |
|
|
|
|
|
India |
0 |
9 |
4 |
4 |
|
Indonesia |
0 |
0 |
0 |
55 |
|
Japan |
10 |
300 |
300 |
289 |
|
Korea Dem People's Rep |
|
|
|
|
|
Korea Rep |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Laos |
|
|
|
|
|
Macau |
|
|
|
|
|
Malaysia |
13 |
254 |
549 |
1200 |
|
Myanmar |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Nepal |
|
|
|
|
|
New Caledonia |
|
|
|
|
|
New Zealand |
1 |
12 |
11 |
35 |
|
Pakistan |
|
|
|
|
|
Papua New Guinea |
1 |
3 |
10 |
33 |
|
Philippines |
88 |
215 |
159 |
36 |
|
Samoa |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
Singapore |
0 |
109 |
90 |
65 |
|
Solomon Islands |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Sri Lanka |
|
|
|
|
|
Thailand |
4 |
12 |
15 |
167 |
|
Tonga |
|
|
|
|
|
Vanuatu |
|
|
|
|
|
Viet Nam |
|
|
|
|
|
Asia pacific |
144 |
945 |
1182 |
1931 |
|
World |
1468 |
3426 |
4614 |
5481 |
|
Share |
10% |
28% |
26% |
35% |
Table 37. Imports of veneer sheets, in thousand m3, 1962-1992.
|
Country |
1962 |
1972 |
1982 |
1992 |
|
Australia |
2 |
18 |
22 |
13 |
|
Bangladesh |
|
|
|
|
|
Bhutan |
|
|
|
|
|
Cambodia |
|
|
|
|
|
China |
0 |
0 |
48 |
125 |
|
Fiji |
|
|
|
|
|
French Polynesia |
|
|
|
|
|
Hong Kong |
0 |
0 |
6 |
21 |
|
India |
|
|
|
|
|
Indonesia |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
|
Japan |
0 |
126 |
198 |
738 |
|
Korea Dem People's Rep |
|
|
|
|
|
Korea Rep |
|
|
|
|
|
Laos |
|
|
|
|
|
Macau |
|
|
|
|
|
Malaysia |
0 |
0 |
9 |
3 |
|
Myanmar |
|
|
|
|
|
Nepal |
|
|
|
|
|
New Caledonia |
|
|
|
|
|
New Zealand |
0 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
|
Pakistan |
0 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
Papua New Guinea |
|
|
|
|
|
Philippines |
|
|
|
|
|
Samoa |
|
|
|
|
|
Singapore |
0 |
12 |
96 |
34 |
|
Solomon Islands |
0 |
1 |
1 |
9 |
|
Sri Lanka |
|
|
|
|
|
Thailand |
0 |
1 |
1 |
9 |
|
Tonga |
|
|
|
|
|
Vanuatu |
|
|
|
|
|
Viet Nam |
|
|
|
|
|
Asia Pacific |
2 |
167 |
385 |
954 |
|
World |
494 |
1504 |
1810 |
2566 |
|
Share |
0% |
11% |
21% |
37% |
Table 38. Exports of veneer sheets, in thousand m3, 1962-1992.
|
Country |
1962 |
1972 |
1982 |
1992 |
|
Australia |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Bangladesh |
|
|
|
|
|
Bhutan |
|
|
|
|
|
Cambodia |
|
|
|
|
|
China |
0 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
|
Fiji |
0 |
1 |
10 |
3 |
|
French Polynesia |
|
|
|
|
|
Hong Kong |
0 |
0 |
0 |
16 |
|
India |
0 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
|
Indonesia |
0 |
0 |
0 |
18 |
|
Japan |
3 |
29 |
42 |
38 |
|
Korea Dem People's Rep |
|
|
|
|
|
Korea Rep |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Laos |
|
|
|
|
|
Macau |
|
|
|
|
|
Malaysia |
13 |
141 |
176 |
765 |
|
Myanmar |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Nepal |
|
|
|
|
|
New Caledonia |
|
|
|
|
|
New Zealand |
0 |
0 |
5 |
2 |
|
Pakistan |
|
|
|
|
|
Papua New Guinea |
1 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
|
Philippines |
55 |
215 |
45 |
18 |
|
Samoa |
|
|
|
|
|
Singapore |
0 |
109 |
14 |
22 |
|
Solomon Islands |
0 |
1 |
6 |
4 |
|
Sri Lanka |
|
|
|
|
|
Thailand |
0 |
1 |
6 |
4 |
|
Tonga |
|
|
|
|
|
Vanuatu |
|
|
|
|
|
Viet Nam |
|
|
|
|
|
Asia Pacific |
73 |
504 |
308 |
897 |
|
World |
365 |
1303 |
1291 |
2437 |
|
Share |
20% |
39% |
24% |
37% |
Table 39. Direction of trade in veneer sheets, in thousand m3, 1992.
