Abstract
Discrepancies in trade statistics can be normal or benign and attributed to a wide variety of unintentional factors, or in some instances within the timber products sector, such discrepancies can be associated with “systemic” factors that distort trade statistics, including (i) measurement and shipment issues, (ii) misreporting of product volumes, (iii) misclassification of timber product types, and (iv) government regulations concerned about trade. This study measured trade discrepancies in logs and lumber trade statistics for China and its trading partner countries from 2002 to 2018 using a time-lagged function, based on the customs data available from Global Trade Information Services (GTIS), with the aim of exploring a more nuanced understanding of trade discrepancies and their “systemic” factors. The results showed that the range of overall discrepancies in logs and lumber trade statistics shrunk over time, from [−0.069, 1.207] in 2002–2007 to [−0.120, 0.408] in 2013–2018. The larger trade flows of logs and lumber from Russia, New Zealand, and the U.S. (each above 10% of total China’s import) showed small trade statistics discrepancy ratios, which were less than ± 0.06. However, trade discrepancies still remained large at the disaggregated level, and significant differences of trade discrepancies between tropical and non-tropical countries. The range of trade discrepancies in hardwood logs increased from 2002 to 2018 and appeared to be attributed to misclassification and misreporting in tropical countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Ghana. However, these countries’ trade flows are becoming relatively minor over time. Government policies are suggested to play an important role in influencing both the occurrence and resolution of trade discrepancies.
Highlights
Trade discrepancies refer to a significant difference between the recorded data of the importing country compared with the data reported by the exporting country for a specific product within a defined time frame
This study developed a time-lagged function to calculate the timber trade discrepancies between
China and its partner countries, with some adjustments associated with shipment issues and statistical errors, discussed possible factors and incentives for specific trade discrepancies
Summary
Trade discrepancies refer to a significant difference between the recorded data of the importing country compared with the data reported by the exporting country for a specific product within a defined time frame. Logs and lumber amounted to 476.34 million m3 by volume in 2018, but exports amounted to 516.58 million m3 , with a gap of 40.24 million m3. Every year there are large discrepancies in timber trade statistics. Trade discrepancies in timber trade statistics have attracted special attention as they have the potential to lead to poor policy decisions relating to forestry management and forest products. China become a wood product remanufacturing and redistribution centercenter due todue the to combination of scarce has become a wood product remanufacturing and redistribution the combination of domestic forest resources, low-cost manufacturing, and surging foreign demand [34]. China scarce domestic forest resources, low-cost manufacturing, and surging foreign demand [34]. China consumes muchmuch of this wood domestically butbut exports a large consumes of this wood domestically exports a largeamount amountofofwood woodfurniture furniture and plywood throughout throughoutthe theworld, world, particularlytotothe theEuropean European
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
