http://www.pft.tas.gov.au/publications/market_information
The 2016 Wood Processor Directory is now available from the Private Forests Tasmania website.
I’ve reviewed these Directories in previous years:
https://blackwoodgrowers.com.au/2015/10/07/tasmanian-primary-wood-processor-directory-2015/
This Directory is the sum total of “market information” that the forest industry in Tasmania wants the general public to see. Apparently the expectation is that farmers will rush out and invest in growing trees because of this directory. Or is it simply there to assist in the salvage of what remains of the private forest estate?
The Directory is a listing of 42 of the estimated 51 primary wood processors believed to be operating in the State of Tasmania. It has been primarily developed to help private forest owners with logs for sale to identify potential buyers as well as enabling the forest owner to more easily locate and contact primary wood processors. The Directory also helps the listed primary wood processors to source logs from the Tasmanian private forest estate.
There’s nothing in that statement about becoming more efficient, profitable and building the industry.
Of the 42 businesses listed in the directory 16 indicate they are looking to buy blackwood logs from private growers, whilst 2 businesses list special species sawlogs without specifically mentioning blackwood. I assume these 2 businesses include blackwood in their requirements.
As in previous years Britton Brothers PL of Smithton, Australia’s largest blackwood sawmiller, apparently does not buy blackwood sawlogs from private growers.
That makes 18 out of 42 businesses (43%) listed as buying blackwood sawlogs from private growers.
To find these businesses:
- download the directory from the PFT website
- open the directory in Acrobat Reader
- Press CTRL+Shift+F to open the Search box
- Type “blackwood” in the search box and press Search.
As I said last year, there are far too many players in the blackwood market for the tiny volumes coming off private property.
Yes we need competition.
We also need much greater price and market transparency.
Simply having a Directory of Processors is a long way from building a profitable sustainable future.
The Tasmanian blackwood industry needs to be more commercial, efficient and profitable. This means fewer processors who are processing larger volumes more efficiently, accessing more valuable markets and offering growers better money to encourage more blackwood growing.
Clearly this is not happening in Tasmania!
Which of these 18 businesses are offering the best prices for blackwood logs?
Which of these 18 businesses have access to a variety of high-value domestic and export markets?
Which of these 18 businesses provide price and market transparency to stimulate interest and encourage investment?
Which of these 18 businesses are actively encouraging Tasmanian farmers to grow/regrow commercial blackwood for the future?
Which of these 18 businesses are actually looking to build the future of the blackwood industry?
Do these businesses understand the critical part they play in ensuring the future of the industry?
Or are we still in salvage mode?
When will Tasmania get a fully commercial profitable forest industry?
Private Forests Tasmania
A dedicated Government agency fostering the private forestry sector seems like a great idea at face value.
Private Forests Tasmania (PFT) is the only government-funded authority established in Australia to specifically promote, foster and assist the private forestry sector on forestry matters. We provide strategic and policy advice to Government on private forestry issues and represent Tasmanian private forest owners’ interests nationally.
http://www.pft.tas.gov.au/
But as soon as you start thinking about it the idea doesn’t look so good, especially when the Government is itself a major player in the industry in terms of wood production, market domination and control, and industry policy.
What happens when Government policy is in direct conflict with the interests of private forest growers as it often is? PFT cannot come out and oppose Government policy. They are Government employees after all.
And as for providing policy advice to Government that must present quite a challenge within a policy vacuum. The PFT website has no policies so what it says to Government remains a complete mystery.
Where’s the policy for the Radiata industry?
Where’s the policy for the pulpwood industry?
And where’s the policy for the high-value appearance grade timbers industry, including blackwood?
And where are the policies around the changes that are needed to the Forest Practice Code around plantation establishment and management?
And how about some policies about greater competition, price and market transparency?
I could go on….
And what about a PFT business plan?
You know a plan with goals and objectives and performance benchmarks and criteria, and a regular review process.
At least they have Vision and Mission statements.
But that seems to be about as far as it goes.
Our Vision
Sustainable private forestry in Tasmania as an integral and crucial part of our social fabric, economic well-being and a healthy environment in which soil, water and biodiversity are valued and widely used.
Our Mission
To facilitate the sustainable management of native and plantation forestry on private land in Tasmania. This mission includes:
That mission statement should be clearly divided into a Commercial Wood Production and Other sections.
Regular community forums wouldn’t be a bad idea either.
And a plan of action for implementing the 2005 National Action Statement on Farm Forestry wouldn’t hurt either.
https://blackwoodgrowers.com.au/2016/02/25/two-significant-forest-industry-reports-that-went-nowhere/
Don’t get me wrong. PFT could be a really great organisation but it remains fundamentally conflicted whilst the Government dominates the forest industry.
The objectives of the Government as a grower, price manipulator and policy maker, are not the same as those of private forest growers.
The only basis for a successful forest industry is profitable tree growers. The PFT website doesn’t seem to mention them.
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Tagged Private Forests Tasmania