Timber prices hit low in 2009 Production of sawtimber and cordwood, and collection of severance taxes from timber harvest in Louisiana for 2009 fell to the lowest level in the past six years, according to figures released by State Forester Wade Dubea, of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Mike Strain DVM, Commissioner. The 2009 total sawtimber production was 710,479,088 board feet, and cordwood production was 6,081,384 cords. Severance taxes collected in 2009 totaled $12,579,055. Five-year average sawtimber production is 1,067,575,473 board feet, and the top production in the five-year period was in 2006, with 1,376,587,885 board feet. Cordwood production averaged 6,542,054 cords, with the high reached in 2006, at 7,029,793 cords. Stumpage prices paid for pine sawtimber during the fourth quarter of 2009 averaged $232.04 per thousand board feet, a 5.2 percent increase over the previous quarter and 18.3 percent decrease compared to a year ago. Prices paid for mixed hardwood sawtimber during fourth quarter 2009 averaged $261.77 per thousand board feet, a 3.6 percent decrease from the previous quarter, and 23.4 percent decrease from a year ago. Pulpwood stumpage prices averaged $22.71 per cord for pine and $20.15 per cord for hardwood. Severance taxes collected by year, reported by State
Forester Wade Dubea, are: |