Vietnam is estimated to have bought US$461 million worth of timber and wood materials for processing in the first eight months of this year, up over 10 per cent on year and accounting for nearly 38 per cent of the country’s total export turnover from woodworks, according to the latest report released by the General Statistics Office.
Vietnam has exported wood products valued at US$1.2 billion over the past eight months, making wood products one of the country’s leading exports.
The figures show that Vietnamese wood processors are still much dependent on wood imports as domestic supply could meet only 20 per cent of total demand which is around 2.5-3 million cu.m per year.
Nguyen Ton Quyen, vice chairman of Vietnam Timber and Forest Product Association (Vietfores) said the industry, in order to meet its target to earn $4 billion in 2010 and $8 billion in 2010 in export turnover, must gain initiative in timber supply as soon as possible.
To deal with the situation, Quyen said that wood processing enterprises should shake tight hands with local farmers nationwide in foresting and setting up material area.
However, to do well, the enterprises also need huge support from the Government who should issue incentive policies to speed up foresting, especially production forests. The Government, besides, plays a very important role in managing and protecting forest.
Quyen also noted that local wood processing industry will be in need of around $4 billion by 2010 to finance forest development, material imports and equipment upgrading that will facilitate its further development. Of which, some $1.5 billion will be for afforestation only.
Last year, the woodwork industry had to spend as many as $667 million importing materials, accounting for 44 per cent of its total export turnover, Quyen revealed, adding that the industry will have to spend nearly $1 billion importing around 4 million cu.m of wood for processing and re-exports in 2006, up 33 per cent on-year and accounting for nearly 50 per cent of the country’s total export turnover from woodworks.
Vietnam imports timber and wood materials mostly from Cambodia, Lao, Myanmar and Indonesia while biggest importers of its woodwork products are the EU, Japan and the US.
T.V
Vietnamese
