Despite having difficulties in the first months of this year, Vietnam’s woodwork processors and exporters have had many orders and sought an appropriate way for their sustainable development.
Export turnover up over 9%
In Q1 2011, Vietnam’s woodwork industry reached US$816mln in export turnover, up 9.2% compared to last year’s same period. The Vietnam Woodwork and Forestry Products Association predicts that the country’s woodwork export turnover is likely to secure more than US$4blb, up 30% against 2010.
Export woodwork processing
Vietnam now has more than 3,000 woodwork processing companies, including more than 400 foreign invested ones. According to statistics, Vietnam’s wood products are present in 120 countries and territories. The US, European countries and Japan remain the biggest export markets for Vietnam, consuming 39%, 44% and 12% of Vietnam’s woodwork exports, respectively.
Nevertheless, Vietnam’s woodwork industry now faces a lot of difficulties, comprising of the shortage of timber materials and escalating timber material prices. The domestic supply sources only meet 20% for the demand for timber materials.
The prices of timber materials imported from the US, New Zealand…have increased by 15% or 30% compared to early this year. It is predicted that timber prices this year will increase by 20% or 30%. This will make Vietnam face disadvantages in competing about the selling prices of wood products with other countries where enjoy favorable conditions for timber materials.
Taking initiative in seeking an appropriate way
Before the disadvantages about timber materials, many businesses have focused on three basic measures, including boosting afforestation, promoting plywood processing industry and limiting export for lumber…, for better development.
Truong Thanh Woodwork Joint Stock Company has taken initiative in seeking materials for its production. In the next 10 years, the company will grow around 100,000 ha of forest and it will also own between 500,000 and 1mln cu.m wood every year from 2016.
Meanwhile, CEO of Thuan An Woodwork Processing Joint Stock Company Le Minh Chau said that the company this year will launch a lot of new products, including those made of MDF timber. The company will also concentrate on improving its production lines, firmly keep its traditional markets, strengthen inspection over the quality of products, early purchase timber materials…
Reported by Ky Tan-Translated by K.T
