Forestry Flow Account: 1996–2002
Strong Growth in Use of Wood Products
There was a strong increase in the use of wood products within New Zealand for the period 1996 to 2002, Statistics New
Zealand said today. This increase occurred despite the Asian financial crisis depressing the market between 1998 and
1999.
Over this period domestic use of plywood increased dramatically by 367 percent (or 286,000m³ of roundwood equivalent),
and particleboard use increased by 134 percent (or 98,000m³ of roundwood equivalent). These increases occurred
predominantly in the furniture manufacturing and residential construction industries.
Exports of wood and wood products increased by over a third (by 40 percent or almost five million m³ of roundwood
equivalent) for the period 1996 to 2002. The majority of these exports were to Australia (a quarter) and Japan (a
fifth). New Zealand’s forestry industry contributed around $3,000 million in 2004 directly to New Zealand’s gross
domestic product (around 3 percent) and provided around 100,000 jobs.
Released today, the Forestry Flow Account 1996–2002 presents analytical information about New Zealand’s forestry
industry and the use of wood products within the economy as part of an environmental series measuring the reliance of
our economy on natural resources.
The Forestry Flow Account 1996–2002 report and accompanying tables can be found on the Environmental Statistics webpage
(www.stats.govt.nz/environment).
Brian Pink
Government Statistician
ENDS