CHINA – The Chinese government has enacted a ban prohibiting commercial timber harvests in its natural forests. The ban is designed to counter decades of over-cutting in Chinese forests, which contributed to a 5% drop in the country’s log production in 2017. Though the country will need to import more logs, it’s unclear how motivated Chinese buyers will be to compete with domestic sawmills, which are currently offering high prices. “To expand the market, they’re going to have to go head-to-head with the mills,” said Gordon Culbertson, international business director at Forest2Market, an Oregon-based consulting firm for wood product companies. Since 2013, China’s log production has fallen from more than 2.8 billion cubic feet to just under 2 billion cubic feet. The logging ban is expected to cause shortages for at least another three years. China remains the top recipient of U.S. hardwood logs, boosting its imports by 19%.