Commercial roundwood removals, 2004, preliminary figures

A total of 8.2 million cubic metres of timber were cut for sale in 2004. Wood fuel removals accounted for 0.8 million cubic metres and roundwood for 7.4 million cubic metres.

Sawmills and wood industries bought 54 per cent of the timber in 2004, while 37 per cent were purchased by the pulp industry. Some 5 per cent of the wood was exported.

The aggregated gross value of the roundwood sold to the industry in 2004 totalled NOK 2.2 billion - an increase of 11.6 per cent compared with the previous year. According to preliminary figures the forest owners on average obtained a price of NOK 299 per cubic metre sold, compared with NOK 290 in 2003.

Wood fuel removals still high

The statistics on wood fuel are based on estimates done by the local forest authorities. For 2004 these estimates indicate a decrease in commercial wood fuel removals of 9 per cent compared with the year before. 829 000 cubic metres of roundwood were sold as wood fuel in 2004. Except for the last year the recorded quantity is the highest since the years following the Second World War.

Tables:

• Table 1 Commercial roundwood removals. 1 000 m³
• Table 2 Commercial rundwood removals, by assortment and buyer group. 2004. 1 000 m³
• Table 3 Commercial roundwood removals. Removed quantity and gross value, by county. 2003 and 2004