HÀ NỘI — Export turnover of wood and forestry products for the year has been forecast to hit US$15.5 billion,

a year-on-year increase of 17 percent.

 

The figure was revealed by Bùi Chính Nghĩa, deputy general director of the Vietnam Administration of Forestry (VNFOREST)

under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, at a conference held on Wednesday in Hà Nội.

 

The export value of wood and forestry products in the first six months of this year was estimated at $8.71 billion,

up 61.6 percent compared to the same period last year, the conference heard.

 

Wood processing enterprises continued to push the export of products with high added value such as kitchen cupboards

and furniture, Nghĩa said, adding that these are also products that have achieved a great growth rate of 40 percent.

 

While appreciating the good results gained by the VNFOREST over the past six months, Deputy Minister of Agriculture

and Rural Development Lê Quốc Doanh said it should not rest on its laurels as the industry has been facing challenges

from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters. Trade barriers would directly affect export activities,

he added.

 

The deputy minister demanded the administration ensure the forest industry is ready to cope with emerging challenges.

 

Regarding the US's investigation into some wooden products imported from Việt Nam, Doanh said the wood manufacturing

and processing industry needed to be more cautious to show other countries Việt Nam is moving towards transparent trade

and is a reliable partner.

 

To meet the demand for transparent domestic raw materials, VNFOREST plans to issue a certificate of sustainable forest

management, Nghĩa said.

 

The administration will work closely with the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) to accelerate

the recognition of the national forest certification system and link with the PEFC forest certification.

 

It is reported the area of the newly-planted forest has so far reached 108,258ha, accounting for 41.6 percent of the plan

and that of the whole year is expected to hit 260,000ha, meeting the year’s target.

 

As many as 109 forest fires and 1,329 forest-related violations were recorded in the first six months of the year. The damaged

forest area was 1,210ha, a decrease of 53 percent compared with the same period last year. Of which, 283ha were damaged

by forest fires and 672ha due to illegal deforestation.

 

The administration will strengthen forest protection and management to meet the target of reducing the number of violations

by 10 percent and the damaged forest area by 20 percent compared with last year.