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Wood prices going up

The Young Reporter (1979, October 15), 12(01), pp. 7.
Photographer: Auyeung Yiu-ming.
Permanent URL - https://sys01.lib.hkbu.edu.hk/bujspa/purl.php?&did=bujspa0013021

THE PRICE of wood increased by about 150 per cent compared to the same period last year although there is a steady supply of wood.

The Controller and Business Manager of Chun Tai Sawmill, Mr Alan Chang, said the hefty price increase was due to the enormous consumption of wood in construction and the threat of diminishing supply.

“Construction projects such as the Government housing development plans, and the Mass Transit Railway need a lot of wood but the resource is limited, so the demand of wood is greater than the supply,” he said.

“The suppliers, mostly South East Asian countries such as Sandakan, Malaysia, Borneo, Indonesia, Sarawak and Singapore are increasing charges. Freight rates have also gone up. All this has caused the price of wood to soar.”

For the present time, the supply of wood is “quite stable,” but many traders fear that supplies would slow down.

Mr Chung Kam, a partner of Borneo Timber Distributors, said the timber industry needs large areas for storing wood.

“Because of the shortage of land, logs are let afloat on water after being shipped to Hongkong,” he said.

Most timberyards are located in coastal areas such as Yau Tong Bay, Castle Peak, Tuen Mun, Shaukiwan, Fanling and Yuenlong.

There are about 30 big timberyards but the smaller ones are difficult to count, as many are family-run.

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