Ireland’s sawmills are increasing sales, but the country’s forestry sector is failing to keep pace with log output.
According to the Irish Timber Council‘s latest annual report, its 12 mills achieved output of 1.1 million m3 in 2002, a rise of 6.5% on 2001.
The ITC companies, which account for 95% of Ireland’s sawn timber production, sold around 739,000m3 on the domestic market and exported 361,000 m3 to the UK. Total turnover rose by 4.5% to €231.6m.
ITC chairman Ernest Kidney said that the growing capacity of the mills is due to investment totalling €101m since 1999.
By contrast, he maintained, the Irish forestry sector, led by the state-body Coillte, has not kept to targets for planting and log production. The result in five years will be a shortfall in spruce sawlog of 1 million m3.
“This means that mills will not be able to realise the potential of their new technology,” said Mr Kidney.
The raw material shortage is also affecting prices for Irish standing timber which are now “significantly higher than in neighbouring and competing countries”.
