The East Texas timber industry is remaining strong, despite the continuing woes of the oil industry. Industry experts believe the falling prices are allowing for smaller companies to save money when it comes to transportation of lumber.
“Trees are heavy, wood is heavy, and we have to truck them from where we log them on the landowners property to the mill,” said SFA Associate Professor of Silviculture Jeremy Stovall. “If diesel prices are lower, that means more money the landowners make off their forest product because it is cheaper.”
It’s more than just the transportation costs that are affected. Stovall said companies are seeing savings with harvesting. “Our harvesting operations use heavy equipment that use a lot of diesel, and so when diesel is cheap, harvesting is cheap,” Stovall said.
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller visited with foresters and farmers at the Texas A&M Forest Pest Seminar. Miller discussed several topics including the economy and how it is affected by timber. “Somebody else’s pain is another persons pleasure,” Miller said.
Miller also highlighted the plan for Texas to use a new international market with Cuba as a way to help timber sales in the Lone Star State. The communist nation recently had a 54-year-old trade embargo with the United States lifted. Miller said in the past the state has been able to sell to the country for humanitarian purposes on, but now new trade agreements could see timber, cattle and produce sales increase.
From KSLA 12 News: https://www.ksla.com/story/31212371/timber-industry-strong-despite-struggling-oil-industry