The wood and furniture export industry seek sustainable directions

​(News Portal – Dong Nai) - Recently, several provinces and cities with the largest wood export volume in the Eastern region, including Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Ho Chi Minh City, and Binh Dinh, have collaborated to organize the Handicraft and Wood Industry Association of Ho Chi Minh City 2024 Expo (HawaExpo 2024), in search of opportunities and partners for market development. 

Exhibition booth displaying timber products from Dong Nai at HawaExpo 2024

The fair brings together over 500 domestic and international timber processing, manufacturing, and trading enterprises. It is considered the largest event in the timber and furniture industry to date. This is an opportunity for domestic and international enterprises to connect, promote exports and imports, and contribute to the recovery of the timber industry.

With a focus on brands, diverse designs, and innovation in the timber and furniture industry, the 2,500 exhibition booths at HawaExpo 2024 have showcased new and unique products that are environmentally friendly and meet green criteria.

In Dong Nai, timber and furniture enterprises are also undergoing transformations. Mr. Pham Van Sinh, Vice Chairman of the Handicraft and Wood Industry Association of Dong Nai and Director of LIDO Wood Joint Stock Company in Trang Bom district, shared that more than 10 enterprises from Dong Nai participated in HawaExpo 2024. As a business owner, Mr. Sinh also brought imported timber products from the United States and Europe, such as Oak, Walnut, Ebony, Pine, and White Ash.

Assessing this expo, Mr. Sinh remarked that Dong Nai enterprises have showcased new products, demonstrating a change in their business mindset to meet the demands and seek new customers. Especially notable are the models of eco-friendly houses and tents, which feature beautiful and unique designs, ensuring sustainability criteria.

Since the beginning of this year, the timber industry has been experiencing stable growth. Although the development may not be rapid, it is forecasted that enterprises will have new orders by the end of the second quarter of 2024. During the recovery process, Dong Nai timber enterprises are focusing on investing in machinery and equipment, developing suitable product lines that align with new consumer trends, and maintaining brand reputation. According to Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Quoc Tri, despite facing difficulties and challenges this year, the timber industry has shown positive signs. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development predicts that the export value of timber and forest products will reach over USD 15 billion in 2024, an increase of about 6% compared to 2023.

To achieve the aforementioned export target, Deputy Minister Tri believes that the forestry sector needs to continue efforts and implement fundamental solutions in technological innovation, raw material utilization, production, and product distribution. The main export markets for Vietnamese timber and wood products increasingly require strict control of legal timber origins to prevent deforestation and contribute to green production, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The opening of Hawa Expo 2024 today is evidence of proactive, flexible, innovative, and adaptive efforts in this regard.

To expand and exploit potential markets, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Phan Thi Thang believes that, in addition to market-related factors, green growth and sustainable development are major trends worldwide. This is also a mandatory requirement for the development of the timber industry in the new phase. Therefore, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has actively coordinated closely with ministries, sectors, and localities nationwide to implement various trade promotion activities, support the timber and forest product industry, develop markets, and build and promote the Vietnamese timber product brand through supporting enterprises to participate in domestic and international trade fairs and exhibitions. At the same time, attention is also given to enhancing the competitiveness of Vietnamese timber enterprises and products, enabling them to meet green standards in terms of the environment and society, and align with the sustainable production and consumption trends of the world.

In the first two months of 2024, the export turnover of timber and wood products is estimated to reach USD 279 million, accounting for 7.7% of the province's total export turnover, an increase of nearly 70% compared to the same period in 2023. The main export markets include the United States, Japan, and South Korea. ​​