Prince George, B.C. –  There are positive signs for the growth of lumber exports to China.

Minster of Forests and Range, Pat Bell, says that as of the end of May, B.C. had exported 840 million board feet of lumber, that’s a 63% increase from last year. “It would look like we are on track to top two billion board feet this year and that is the equivalent of the output of about 10 sawmills”

Bell says the Wood Markets Organization recently released a report which painted a very rosy picture for export growth to China.

The report says it expects the market can be doubled by 2013, and the price will increase by 5% per year.