Processing wood at the Da Lat forestry product exploitation and processing Co. Ltd (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – Exports of forestry products increasedby 9.2 percent from 2016 to 7.97 billion USD in 2017, according to the VietnamAdministration of Forestry (VNForest).
VNForest released the figure at a meeting toreview its performance in 2017 and set tasks for 2018 in Hanoi on December 27.
The US, China and Japan were the biggest buyersof Vietnamese timber and wood products, accounting for over 70 percent of thetotal shipments of these commodities.
Vietnam also posted a record surplus of nearly5.8 billion USD in the trade of forestry products this year, the administrationnoted, adding that the forestry sector’s production value increased by about6.6 percent.
VNForest said the development of the wood andforestry product market created favourable conditions for processing and exportof wood and non-wood forestry products.
In 2017, the country’s forest coverage reached41.45 percent. More than 235,000ha of concentrated forest and 15,200ha ofprotection and special-use forest were planted.
Meanwhile, forest protection and forest fireprevention and fighting have reaped encouraging outcomes. More than 16,530violation cases were uncovered and 1,451ha of forest was found damaged,respectively declining 23 percent and 68 percent from last year.
In 2018, the forestry sector targets nationwideforest coverage of 41.6 percent, a 5.5-6 percent increase in its productionvalue, and timber and forestry product exports of 7.9-8 billion USD.
It plans to step up forest protection and fireprevention and control while planting 195,000ha of forest.-VNA
VNA
