Wood export turnover this year is expected to reach a record high of nearly 12.5 billion USD despite impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as risks from export markets and the country’s policy changes in controlling the legality of imported wood materials.
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./.
Wood and wooden product exports in the southern province of Binh Duong hit more than 1.7 billion USD in the first half of 2020, up 0.6 percent year-on-year and accounting for 14.5 percent of the local total export value of 11.9 billion USD.
After a sharp fall due to adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, wood export revenue has seen signs of recovery since June thanks to exporters’ efforts to adapt to the situation.
The central province of Binh Dinh posted a 21 percent year-on-year increase in wood exports to 373 million USD during January-August despite disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Vietnam has enjoyed a surge in timber and wood product exports to the US this year, but businesses need to choose the right items to focus on in order to tap into this major market, insiders said.
A key change in the draft decree is a provision requiring bank transfers for gold transactions valued at 20 million VND (765 USD) and above, to enhance transparency and verify customer identities.
In the first four months of 2025, trade turnover between Vietnam and Cambodia surpassed 3 billion USD, marking a 7% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
On June 19 alone, a total of 2,005 trucks completed customs clearance at Lang Son’s border gates — the highest single-day figure ever recorded in the province. Of these, 634 carried exports and 1,371 imports.
The OECD Economic Surveys: Vietnam 2025 report focuses on analysing the country’s macroeconomic fundamentals, the impact of international integration on attracting foreign investment and trade, and the country’s prospects for developing a low-carbon economy.
Antoine Colin, Senior Vice President for Global Supply Chain Digital Transformation & Resilience at HP Inc., affirmed HP’s strategic commitment to building a supply chain and ecosystem in Vietnam and the region.
Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT)’s Trade Promotion Agency Bui Quang Hung emphasised that logistics has evolved from a technical function into a core capability for Vietnamese exporters to maintain their competitive advantage in the US market.
A trade official has suggested companies work closely with shipping lines, airlines, and freight forwarders to monitor routes, transit times, and potential surcharges while exploring broader cargo insurance to cover risks like war and terrorism.
In addition to institutional reform, the agency is also rolling out key solution groups to combat counterfeit goods, imitations, and intellectual property infringements in the digital environment.
The event, co-organised by the Vietnam Trade Office in the UK and TT Meridian, a local importer of Vietnamese fresh produce, aims to build a national lychee brand and encourage broader recognition of Vietnamese fruits in a competitive, high-end market.
The industry's performance has been powered by bold investments in modern production lines, enabling Vietnamese firms to produce complicated products which were exclusive to advanced economies.
Outcomes of ABAC III will shape ABAC’s final policy recommendations to be submitted to the ABAC-APEC leaders’ dialogue, scheduled to take place in the Republic of Korea this November.
This is the second year the magazine has released the ranking, which is based on total revenue and key financial indicators of enterprises from seven countries in the region: Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Cambodia.
At the summit, publishing, tech, and media sectors will discuss emerging trends, business models, and sustainable solutions for digital publishing development in Vietnam.
This year’s “Vietnam Goods Week” marks a significant milestone as it is being held simultaneously for the first time in four locations across Asia: Japan, Hong Kong (China), Cambodia, and Malaysia, from June 19 - 22.
According to NordCham Vietnam Chairman Thue Quist Thomasen, the Vietnamese Government’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 is both a challenge and an opportunity for businesses to contribute to green and sustainable growth.
The analysis from an investment perspective shows that the economy’s growth has been heavily capital‑driven, yet efficiency remains low as reflected by Vietnam’s Incremental Capital-Output Ratio (ICOR) being significantly higher than global and regional averages. This underscores the imperative to enhance capital‑use efficiency.
A wood processing line for export in Lam Dong province (Photo: VNA) 
