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An econometric analysis of the demand for wood products in Japan by product type, species, and source

University of British Columbia

This thesis investigates the Japanese demand for wood by product type, by country of origin, and by species, over the period 1965 to 1993. The product types include softwood and hardwood logs, softwood and hardwood lumber, and wood-based panel products (plywood, fibreboard and particle board). In addition to estimating the own-price effects on quantity demanded for individual wood product imports, substitution effects within these product categories are documented to the degree possible, including Japanese substitution with domestic product and non-wood alternatives. The research makes two important contributions. The first is to offer Japanese demand descriptors at a level of wood product detail which is not found in the existing literature. The second is to review and critique the existing methodologies available for investigating substitution effects among disaggregated products (such as softwood lumber by species). As it was discovered that the available approaches are inadequate for properly dealing with product detail, strong recommendations for further research are made for improving our ability to document cross-price effects. The primary conclusion of the study is that individual wood products, by product type, by country of origin, or by species, behave as distinct economic units. This suggests that studies which aggregate wood products into broad categories such as "softwood lumber" risk obscuring important dimensions of both forest products' trade and forest policy.

Thesis/Dissertation

application/pdf

2009-04-03

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/6785

Forestry

University of British Columbia

UBCV

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