Vietnam has targeted US$1.5bn turnover from wood product exports this year.
This is significantly higher than the US$1bn sales recorded in 2004 and reflects recent growth in the country’s wood processing sector.
The industry, which includes more than 1,200 plants capable of processing 2 million m3 of wood annually, has been growing by 70% a year since 2000.
More than half the plants are based in Ho Chi Minh City and surrounding provinces, with 300 on a large scale. The region’s processing capacity accounts for 70% of the country’s total output and is predicted to continue to expand.
But the shortage and high price of raw materials is holding the industry back. More than 75% of wood is imported, while prices are increasing by 10-30%.
Tran Quoc Manh, vice-president of Ho Chi Minh City Association for Fine Arts and Wood Processing, has called for an international centre for wood product quality check-ups to be set up. He also wants to see concentrated wood processing zones established to promote collaboration among businesses and the creation of a wood material market to ensure supply of raw materials.
