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Worldwide, the quantity of forest products exported has doubled since 1970, and the value of legal forest product exports has tripled between 1970 and 1995 to reach $152 billion a year. International trade now accounts for 25% of global production of wood-based panels and paper, 20% of sawnwood and woodpulp, and 6% of industrial roundwood according to World Resources Institute (WRI) figures for 1997. Ten countries are responsible for 70% of timber exports.
How big is the global trade in forest products?
| Product | Quantity exported (000m3) |
| Fuelwood and charcoal | 5,843 |
| Industrial roundwood | 119,963 |
| Sawnwood | 112,627 |
|
Wood-based panels |
44,732 |
| Pulp for paper | 31,697 |
| Paper and paperboard | 76,603 |
| Source: FAO Yearbook of Forest Products 1996 | |
Who are the big exporters of forest products?
| Exporter | Value of exports in 1995 ($1,000,000) |
| Canada | 27,787 |
| USA | 18,148 |
| Finland | 11,953 |
| Sweden | 11,582 |
| Germany | 7,800 |
| France | 5,837 |
| Indonesia | 4,728 |
| Malaysia | 4,232 |
| Russia | 4,028 |
| Brazil | 3,547 |
| Source: Worldwatch Paper 140, April 1998 | |
What levels are trade tariffs set at? Current and post Uruguay import tariffs for forest products for selected countries [1]
| Country | Product Groups | Current Tariff Rate | Post Uruguay Tariff Rates |
| EU |
Pulp |
0 | 0 |
| Paper | 5.7 | 0 | |
| Solid Wood | 0 | 0 | |
| Board/Furniture | 4.9 | 4.1 | |
| Sawn wood/Veneer | 2,5 | 0/2.4 | |
| Japan | Pulp | 0 | 0 |
| Paper | 1.9 | 0 | |
| Solid Wood | 0 | 0 | |
| Board/Furniture | 5.3 | 4.1 | |
| Sawn wood/veneer | 5.9 | 2.4 | |
| USA | Pulp | 0 | 0 |
| Paper | 0.5 | 0 | |
| Solid Wood | 0 | 0 | |
| Board/Furniture | 3.2 | 0.2 | |
| Sawn wood/veneer | 1.4 | 0 | |
| Canada | Pulp | 0 | 0 |
| Paper | 3.2 | 0 | |
| Solid wood | 0 | 0 | |
| Board/Furniture | 10.9 | 3.7 | |
| Sawn wood/veneer | 0 | 0 | |
| China | Pulp | 2 | 10.6 |
| Paper | 23.4 | 27.6 | |
| Solid wood | 2.6 | 14.8 | |
| Board/Furniture | 20.6 | 28.8 | |
| Sawn wood/veneer | 10.5 | 20.4 | |
| Indonesia | Pulp | 5 (waste paper 40) | 40 |
| Paper | 21.6 | 40 | |
| Solid wood | 7.5 | 40 | |
| Board/Furniture | 28.5 | 40 | |
| Sawn wood/veneer | 10 | 40 | |
| Malaysia | Pulp | 3.6 | 5 |
| Paper | 8.4 | 16.8 | |
| Solid wood | 0 | 13.4 | |
| Board/Furniture | 32 | 20.1 | |
| Sawn wood/veneer | 20 | 16.7 | |
| Brazil | Pulp | 0 | 25.2 |
| Paper | 11.3 | 23.9 | |
| Solid Wood | 0 | 12 | |
| Board/Furniture | 16 | 23.7 | |
| Sawn wood/veneer | 10 | 20 | |
| Source: World Trade Organisation | |||
In addition to all this the EU is also a major consumer of forest products.