What comes next is a big full stop as I wonder where to from here? I have to say the break for me was great, a chance to really focus on what had been successful for our organisation in 2022. Through many challenges for the industry supply chain to what key areas were going to be important to manage the next 12 months. I was very hopeful the new year would ease back in, but that has been far from reality.
The year has begun with an earlier start for crews back a week if not two weeks sooner than normal. However, the sawmills are taking a longer break as the construction sector determine what their year is looking like due to supplies, interest rates and demand on new builds. And as I pushed send on my market report from December the other week, I wondered to myself, this is not all adding up? What am I questioning?
Simply put, why is harvesting production so full on when market demand is only just stable? Someone please tell me as I have not been able to find anyone that can answer that yet? Or have I been in this industry for 5 years too long to now see the cycle coming again - year after year that boom bust mentality?
What can we do about it.........well unfortunately that has been distracted by the weather, in the last few weeks Tairawhiti has copped significant rainfall along with the state of emergency, the spotlight on them and an unfortunate fatality on the back of that. Seemingly the country is going to either have a late summer and a drought has to be out of the question, especially given the latest state of emergency in Auckland and Northland. Climate change as the new reason for eveything, who really knows?
Then even before the end of the first month, Jacinda resigns......crazy madness at the top of our country. Good - bad or ugly it slows down any momentum we have had with government, puts a spin of review across everything and I know a review of fiscal management. Anything we have been promised may disappear, our forestry minister may disappear this week, our forest service may disappear with a new government. So, many questions and so many different roads that may need to be crossed soon.
The best we can do is look forward to some work that irrespective of the party in power, irrespective of the regulations on land use or the export market demands, continue to grow our professionalism in the industry and the opportunity to celebrate our industry sector that continues to be a signifcant contributor to the regional and national economies.
Talking about celebrations, let's raise our glass to the 50TH ANNIVERSARY of MJ FRASER LOGGING - what a milestone and we look to bringing you more about that journey next month.
My focus is on some key projects to implement and some to complete over the next 12 months, providing some surety and consistency to our environment.
Be a Mate in Forestry - kia hoe
