Stands grown primarily for sawlogs can produce income along the way if thinnings are sold for pulpwood or for posts. On good sites, blue gum can produce small sawlogs in ten years and large sawlogs in about 20 years. Market outlook Local growers have an opportunity to exploit the projected growth of global demand for timber products. Australia is already a significant exporter of woodchips and is expected to become a net exporter of sawlogs, sawn timber and panel boards before 2010. Two cooperatives are operating in Western Australia to help tree farmers maximise their returns and to coordinate the harvesting and marketing of their trees.
All blue gum grown in Western Australia for pulpwood is intended for export.
In 1998, Japan took 99 per cent of Australia's total woodchip exports, while Australia supplied 29 per cent of Japan's imported hardwood woodchips. However, the upside could be limited if Japanese buyers choose to maintain diverse sources of supply. Looking ahead, Western Australian blue gum woodchips will be sold into a competitive world market as large areas of blue gum plantation mature in other parts of Australia and other regions, especially South America. Solid wood products Prospects for both local and export markets are good if sufficient timber becomes available. Local blue gum could become widely used for flooring, panelling and joinery in Western Australia and be exported into growing markets in the Asia-Pacific region as sawlogs, sawn timber and manufactured products.