A wood processing line for export in Lam Dong province (Photo: VNA)Binh Duong (VNA) - Woodexport turnover this year is expected to reach a record high of nearly 12.5billion USD despite impacts of theCOVID-19 pandemic as well as risks from export markets and the country’s policychanges in controlling the legality of imported wood materials.
Chairman of the Vietnam Timber and Forest Product Association(VIFOREST) Do Xuan Lap madethe forecast at a conference held in the southern province of Binh Duong on December 21.
Lap said the wood sector posted a surge in exports, especiallyin the second and third quarter of the year. In the first 11 months of 2020,the wood sector’s export turnover surpassed 11 billion USD,representing a 15.6 percent year-on-year increase.
He, however, noted that the industryhas faced anti-dumping lawsuits from the US and theRepublic of Korea, specifically for plywood related to commercial fraud andtax evasion. There is a high riskthat the US Government would apply trade restrictions on these Vietnamesetimber, he said.
The chairman added thatVietnam has promulgated a decree on Vietnam Timber Legality Assurance System (VNTLAS).The decree regulates the harvest, transportation, trade, and processingof timber in accordance with requirements and regulations of internationalconventions that the country isparty to and requirements of countries that import processed wooden productsfrom Vietnam. However, as it is a new document, many importers stilllack understanding of the decree’s requirements regarding imported timber.
The Ministry ofAgriculture and Rural Development (MARD) issued a decision on a geographicorigin and timber species risk category. This plays an important role incontrolling the legality of imported timber.
The conference providedexporters and producers with trade defence skills, issues related to commercialfraud in import and export activities, goods origin fraud to reduce risks intheir trading./.
