Preliminary figures show that annual US lumber production rose slightly in 2003 to about 36.4 billion board feet, according to industry newsletter Random Lengths.
Growth was strongest on the coast where output rose by 460 million board feet, or 5% and reached a total of 9.7 billion board feet. However, production from inland mills fell 0.8%, or 52 million board feet.
Southern pine production rose slightly to around 17.1 billion board feet, up from 16.7 billion board feet in 2002.
