Finland produced 2.6 million tonnes of paper and paperboard in January-March 2012. The Finnish forest industry’s production environment was difficult in the first quarter and demand for several product categories was sluggish in the main market areas. Sources: Lesprom Network, Wood & Panel Europe
Consumption of graphic paper grades remained on a low level in Europe, the main market area, and this had an impact on Finnish production volumes.
On the other hand, production of fine paper picked up towards the end of the quarter. The prices fetched by paper and paperboard products remained stable when compared with the corresponding period of 2011.
Timber sales activity was brisk in the first quarter. The forest industry purchased 6.2 million cubic metres of wood in January-March, more than double the amount procured in the first quarter of 2011.
The sawlog purchase volume rose to 2.8 million cubic metres, while pulpwood procurements came to 3.2 million cubic metres.
Finland produced 1.7 million tonnes of pulp in January-March 2012, about the same amount as in the corresponding period of 2011. First-quarter pulp exports grew to 720,000 tonnes, up 28 per cent from 2011.
January-March sawn timber production came to 2.3 million cubic metres, down 2 per cent from 2011.
Plywood production was down 7 per cent from the previous year and totalled 250,000 cubic metres.
Sawn timber exports increased to a million cubic metres in January-March, up 26 per cent from the corresponding period of 2011. The first quarter of last year was affected by the crisis in North Africa, which halted shipments into the region.
