Members of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) have been urged to grow their timber trade with each other.
Dr Abdullah Mohd Tahir, plantation industries and commodities ministry secretary-general, told the first conference of the Asean Forest Products Industry Club in Kuala Lumpur that timber trade among members is low at just 4-5%, while exports outside Asean are about 95%.
He said growing the markets within the Asean region would provide leverage if the main markets in the US, Europe and Japan were to contract.
Malaysia’s export of timber and and wood products to the region rose by 31% to M$1.84bn in 2003. Its major buyers of logs, sawn timber and plywood include Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines.
Members of Asean are Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, the Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia.
