Agriculture and Environment: Commodities

Table of Facts: Wood Pulp (Eucalyptus species, Acacia species, Casuarina species, Gmelina arborea, and Pinus species)

Production
Area Under Cultivation - 10 million ha
Global Production - 323.0 million MT (Pulp); 189.0 million MT (Paper & board)
Average Productivity - 15m³/ha/year

International Trade
Share of World Production - 12% (estimate)
Exports - 37.8 million cubic meters
Average Price - $440-620 per MT
Value - $20,720 million

Principal Pulp- Producing Countries
(by weight)
United States, Canada, China, Finland, Sweden, Japan, Brazil, Russia, Indonesia, Chile

Principal Plantation-Growing Countries
China, United States, Russia, India, Japan

Principal Exporting Countries/Blocs
Canada, United States, Brazil, Sweden, Chile, Finland, Russia, Indonesia, Portugal

Principal Importing Countries/Blocs
United States, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, France


Major Environmental Impacts

• Habitat conversion and degradation
• Pollution from agrochemical use and processing
• Burning during plantation establishment
  

Potential to Improve

• Good
• Siting can reduce impact on biodiversity, natural habitat, and ecosystem functions
• Planting and management can maintain soil fertility and reduce impacts
• BMPs can reduce costs and increase benefits
  

Source: FAO 2001a, 2002; PPI 2001; Cossalter and Pye-Smith 2003.All data for 2000.