Commercial roundwood removals, 2003, preliminary figures

A total of 6.8 million cubic metres of timber were cut in 2003. This is 470 000 cubic metres less than in the year before, a fall of 6.5 per cent. During the previous ten years, an average of 7.8 million cubic metres were cut per year. Compared with 2001 a decline of 5.5 per cent was, however, recorded in 2002. The commercial roundwood removals reached a peak in the years around 1990 and dropped to a level between 7 and 9 million cubic metres in the following years.

Sawmills and wood industries bought 55 per cent of the timber in 2003, while 36 per cent was purchased by the pulp industry. Some 5 per cent of the wood was exported.

The aggregate gross value of the roundwood sold to the industry in 2003 totalled NOK 2 billion. This is a decline of 7.7 per cent compared with the previous year. The preliminary figures show that, on an average, the forest owners obtained a price of NOK 290 per cubic metres sold, compared with NOK 294 in 2002.

Increased wood fuel removals

The statistics on wood fuel are based on estimates done by the local forest authorities. For 2003 these estimates indicate an increase in commercial wood fuel removals of 15 per cent compared with the year before. Some 908 000 cubic metres of roundwood were sold as wood fuel in 2003. Not since the years immediately after the World War II has a similar amount of wood fuel been registered for sale.

Tables:

• Table 1 Commercial roundwood removals. 1 000 m3
• Table 2 Commercial rundwood removals, by assortment and buyer group. 2003. 1 000 m3 (Corrected 26 May 2004 at 10:20 a.m.)
• Table 3 Commercial roundwood removals. Removed quantity and gross value, by county. 2002 and 2003