1303.6 - Tasmanian Statistical Indicators, Sep 2000  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 08/09/2000   
   Page tools: Print Print Page Print all pages in this productPrint All

MEDIA RELEASE

September 8, 2000
Embargoed: 11:30 AM (AEST)
118/2000

Tasmanian woodchip production continues record climb

    Tasmanian woodchip production continued to increase and reached a new record level of production in the June quarter 2000, according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today.

    Chipped and ground wood production increased by 32.3 per cent to reach 1,403,983 tonnes (compared to the same quarter in 1999). This is the highest recorded figure since the survey began 30 years ago, topping the record level reached in the March 2000 quarter. Annual production of woodchips for 1999-2000 was 5.1 million tonnes, 30.9 per cent more than in 1998-99.

    During the June quarter 2000 1,214,096 cubic metres of logs were delivered to mills for woodchipping, 31.1 per cent more than in the same quarter in 1999. The volume of logs delivered to mills for woodchipping for 1999-2000 was 4.5 million cubic metres, an increase of 30.8 per cent on 1998-99.

    Log deliveries to sawmills and plywood mills for the June quarter 2000 totalled 243,050 cubic metres, an increase of 9.3 per cent when compared to the same period in 1999. The volume of logs delivered to sawmills and plywood mills for 1999-2000 was 935,943 cubic metres, an increase of 6.9 per cent on 1998-99.

    The overall sawmilling output of timber in the June quarter 2000 reached 88,300 cubic metres, a 4.5 per cent increase compared to the same quarter in 1999. Hardwood sawn timber production decreased by 0.7 per cent to 41,021 cubic metres and softwood timber production (47,279 cubic metres) rose 9.5 per cent on the same period in 1999. Production of sawn timber for the year 1999-2000 was 365,974 cubic metres, an increase of 9.3 per cent from the previous year.

    The total volume of logs delivered to sawmills and woodchip mills in Tasmania during the June quarter 2000 was 1,457,145 cubic metres, an increase of 26.9 per cent on the previous June quarter. Total log deliveries for the year 1999-2000 reached 5.5 million cubic metres, an increase of 26 per cent from 1998-99. Logs from crown land accounted for 60 per cent of this total.

    Further details can be found in Tasmanian Statistical Indicators (cat. no. 1303.6) available from ABS bookshops. This publication also contains information addressing areas such as population, births, deaths, marriages, employment and unemployment, wages and prices, production statistics, building, finance, trade, retail sales, tourism and motor vehicle registrations.

    The summary of the publication can be found on this site. If you wish to purchase a copy of this publication, contact the ABS Bookshop in your capital city.