And major UK sawmillers contacted by TTJ report that production has grown further so far in 2014, although many are constrained by capacity and are having to juggle production against demand.

The provisional National Statistics on UK Wood Production and Trade for 2013 also shows the wood-based panel manufacturing industry increased production by 1% on a year ago to 3 million m3.

Softwood roundwood harvesting volumes grew to 10.9 million green tonnes (+8%), while hardwood harvesting decreased 1% to 500,000 green tonnes. Some 400,000 green tonnes of softwood was removed under licence in areas with diseased trees.

A total of 11 million green tonnes of roundwood (softwood and hardwood) was delivered to wood processors and others. Sawmills took 6.4 million green tonnes of this volume (+5%), while the wood-based panel manufacturing industry took 1.3 million green tonnes (-1%).

Sawn timber imports rose 6% to 5.5 million m3 and wood-based panel imports were up 12% to 3 million m3.

Wood pellet imports rocketed 128% to 5 million m3 as biomass energy expanded.

The total value of wood product imports was £6.7bn (+5%), though the majority of this (£4.2bn) was pulp and paper (-2%).

Meanwhile, the Forestry Commission’s latest timber price indices, based on timber sales by the commission and Natural Resources Wales, show a 13.5% growth (in real terms) in the coniferous standing sales price index for the year to March 2014.

The softwood sawlog price index was 16% higher in real terms in the six months to March 2014, compared with the same period from the previous year.

The UK’s largest sawmilling group BSW Timber estimates that its production has grown by about 5% so far in 2014. "We still see strong demand and are continuing to grow from last year," said Hamish Macleod, head of public affairs at BSW Timber.

Mr Macleod cited growth in the medium to large housebuilder sector, as well as high demand for replacement fencing following storms earlier this year as factors driving demand.

Extra production hours have been added this year at BSW’s Carlisle and Dalbeattie mills.

Meanwhile, James Jones & Sons reports that its production levels are running ahead of 2013, but not significantly.

"All of our mills have been working hard to keep pace with customer demand, with both production and sales showing double digit percentatge growth year on year," said a spokesperson.