Guyana’s wood exports earning attractive prices

Attractive prices are being earned for Guyana’s sawn wood on the export market, according to the timber website, IBH.

In a report, quoting the International Tropical Timber Organization, IBH said that sawn wood exports were active and attractive prices were earned on the export market. Undressed greenheart (prime quality) commanded a price as high as US$1,338 per cubic metre Free on Board (FOB) and was shipped to buyers in the Middle East and Oceania, the report said.

Undressed greenheart (select quality) was sold at a significantly higher price than recently earning as much as US$1,314 per cubic metre FOB in Caribbean, European and North American markets, it said. Undressed purpleheart sawn wood prices remained stable at US$1,200 per cubic metre FOB while, in contrast, undressed Mora select category earned a favourable price as high as US$679 per cubic metre FOB in Caribbean markets.

Despite the overall positive price movements dressed greenheart prices in Caribbean markets declined marginally from US$1,158 to US$1,039 per cubic metre FOB. Dressed purpleheart sawn wood FOB prices held firm at US$1,158 per cubic metre FOB, the report said.

It noted that Guyana made plywood was traded at a fair price earning as much as US$537 per cubic metre FOB in the North American market while splitwood (shingles) attracted a significant FOB price earning as much as US$1,341 per cubic metre in Caribbean and North American markets.

Select quality greenheart piles continue to earn attract favourable market prices ranging from US$350 to US$1,043 per cubic metre FOB. Sound category greenheart piles were traded at prices ranging from US$298 to US$438 per cubic metre FOB in North American and European markets.

The report said that there were no exports of greenheart logs in the period reviewed. However, purpleheart standard sawmill quality logs attracted a favourable top end FOB price of US$325 per cubic metre. Fair sawmill quality purpleheart log FOB prices remained at US$170 per cubic metre while small sawmill quality logs were traded at US$150 per cubic metre FOB.

Mora log prices were unchanged, except for standard sawmill quality logs which earned US$120 per cubic metre FOB.

“Wamara logs are becoming more popular and prices have moved up for all categories. Standard Sawmill quality wamara logs were traded at US$210 to US$215 per cubic metre FOB, fair sawmill quality logs attracted a price of US$125 to US$210 per cubic metre FOB while small sawmill quality log FOB prices moved up to US$120 to US$200 per cubic metre,” the report said.