Mr. Zhan Zhijun, Director of Guangdong Forest Products Industry Association, revealed that wood prices would rise in the next three to five years, which would greatly impact downstream building material and paper making enterprises. This is attributed to the shortage of supply expected in the province following the effects of severe winter weather. Although Guangdong has been one of the most important forest products production and export provinces where wood consumption has remained around 20 million m³ in recent years, it is likely that consumption would be only 4 million m³ in the next few years. Wood production levels will be determined by imports from other provinces such as Hunan, Guangxi, Fujian and Jiangxi and abroad. To address the imbalance of wood demand and supply, the forestry department of Guangdong is consulting with customs and quarantine departments to set up wood collection and distribution
points at ports to import wood directly from foreign countries.