BRAZIL (ibá) – According to the Brazilian Tree Industry (Ibá), the association representing the planted tree production chain, the industry managed to maintain its production levels and recorded new highs in some of its key indicators, as a result of a series of adjustment measures adopted by the companies and despite the unfavorable Brazilian macroeconomic scenario in 2014, with economic growth stalling and inflation on the rise.

The pulp segment made significant progress. From January through December 2014, exports totaled 10.6 million tons, a 12.6% increase over the previous year, when 9.4 million tons were exported. Overall pulp production also recorded a high, reaching 16.5 million tons, an 8.8% increase compared to 2013, when 15.1 million tons were produced.

In the wood panels segment, production reached 8 million cubic meters in 2014, 1.1% higher than during the same period in 2013. Paper production remained stable, totaling 10.4 million tons in 2014.

Volume of exports from January through December 2014, totaled 421,000 m³, a 20.6% increase year-over-year. Paper exports reached 1.8 million tons in the 2014 YTD, a 1.1% decrease compared to the same period in 2013.

Exports revenues from pulp, paper and wood panels totaled US$ 7.4 billion in 2014 up 1.1% compared to 2013, when total revenues reached US$ 7.3 billion. The industry’s trade surplus for the year totaled US$ 5.5 billion, a 2.8% increase year-over-year. Europe is still the main destination for Brazilian pulp, answering for approximately 40% of the revenue, followed by China and North America, with 30% and 20% respectively. Shipments to China increased 8.2% in 2014.

Brazil-Wood-Panels

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