Future markets for Irish wood products.

Abstract

The utilisation of small roundwood was probably the problem of greatest concern to private growers and State foresters in 1979. At present, Irish forests are capable of producing approximately -f20.000m3 of pulpwood per annum and this is expected to increase gradually to about 900,000m3 by 1990 (1). This wood might be used in the manufacture of a vast array of end products from plastics to shatterproof glass and possibly may be used in manufacturing animal foodstuffs or as a source of energy. However those, at present minor uses of wood develop in the future, it is unlikely that they will have any major effect upon the utilisation of pu~pwood within the next 5-10 years. We are therefore left with the traditional products for small dimension roundwood and mill residues, i.e. to process them into particleboard (Chipboard), fibreboard! and, pulp and paper. The users of small wood have all experienced very difficult market conditions over the past few years. However, there are indications that these difficulties are now easing and that the markets for processed wood products are set for renewed growth.