With the recent opening of International Paper’s new fluff fiber mill in Isle of Wight County and deals inked for one of two proposed wood-pellet manufacturers, loggers and timber growers are seeing green.
Locally, the price of pine wood pulp — the primary product that International Paper uses to produce fluff fiber for diapers, feminine hygiene products and medical wipes — has surged by nearly 30% over the past six months, said Kea Turner, an Isle of Wight forestry consultant who manages about 10,000 acres of timberland in southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina.
In Suffolk and Isle of Wight County, growers today are receiving an average of $8 to $9 per ton, up from around $6 in January, Turner said. Prices still vary depending on age and condition of trees, demand and size of the timber stands, he added.
“The market is better since International Paper reopened,” Turner said. “The ripple effect is being felt for up to 100 or 150 miles.”
Statewide, forestry has a $25.4 billion economic impact in Virginia and accounted for 144,000 jobs in 2010, before International Paper closed its Isle of Wight paper mill, according to the Virginia Department of Forestry. As of 2006, the most recent years figures were available, Virginians were receiving $350 million annually for harvested timber.
From The Orlando Sentinel: https://www.orlandosentinel.com/topic/dp-nws-cp-isle-wight-timber-0801-20120731,0,1260001.story