China/US trade dispute: plywood producers urged to capture the moment
20 April 2018The trade dispute between China and the US has benefitted the Indonesian timber sector according to Purwadi Soeprihanto, executive director of the Association of Indonesian Forest Concessionaires (APHI).
Mr Soeprihanto said that, as of the end of Q1, 2018, there was a 28% increase in processed wood shipments to the US as buyers there sought out suppliers to fill the gap left by China.
The shift by US importers to Indonesian suppliers, especially of plywood, is expected to continue for the rest of this year said Mr Soeprihanto.
Trade analysts feel that, in the short term, the winners will be South East Asian exporters while the losers will be consumers in the US.
