The Japanese market has reported tight supply of south sea (tropical) plywood as shipments of ordered plywood from Malaysia and Indonesia have been largely delayed by log supply shortage in these countries, according to the Japan Lumber Reports (JLR).

Delay of shipments is about three to four months now, and port inventories are down in Japan while the demand continues to be strong.

Even after the rainy season was over, the weather had not improved in producing regions of Malaysia and Indonesia which hampers hauling of harvested logs to coast where the plywood mills are located.

To produce thin plywood and floor base plywood, log quality is important but the mills are not able to have enough quality logs, which delayed production of ordered volume.