The International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) report says the wood is needed for the production of plywood and blockboard, solid furniture, for construction, interior decoration and home improvement.
By 2010, the ITTO says 8 million m3 of tropical timber will be needed for plywood and blockwood, with 1.5 million m3 required for solid flooring. Furniture and other end uses will account for about 5 million m3 and 1.5 million m3 respectively.
The total amount of tropical timber needed in 2010 amounts to 16 million m3, compared to 11.41 million m3 roundwood equivalent in 2005.
However, the report says China’s tropical timber imports have been levelling off in recent years due to bottlenecks in the supply chain.
