AUSTRALIA

Wood-Chip Exports to Drop: Prime Minister Paul Keating, moving to placate conservation groups, announced a timetable for phasing out the exports of wood chips by the turn of the century. The country’s major wood-chip markets are Taiwan and Japan, the Department of Trade said. The action is aimed at reducing the cutting in native forests. Keating acted after an increase in wood-chip exports permitted for next year roused criticism from environmental groups that threatened to boycott the ruling Labor Party, which faces elections in early 1996. Keating said the government will reduce the allowable amount of hardwood chip exports from 6.73 million metric tons in 1995 to 5 million tons in 1996, then reduce the amount by 1 million tons a year thereafter.