FROM vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn :  HCM CITY — A national centre that can produce product patterns to meet international demand is among the measures needed to build on recent positive signs seen in the export of wood products, industry experts say.

They also advise a long-term focus on the domestic market to ensure the industry’s sustained growth.

In the last months of the year, exports of wood products have recovered somewhat from an earlier slump, but meeting the US$3billion target for next year and $7 billion for 2020 needs much more effort from the industry and support from the government, they add.

The country exported $220 million worth of wood products in October, taking the total export revenues in the first 10 months to $1.98 billion, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. This marked a reduction of 13.6 per cent over the same period last year. The fall has been attributed to the impacts of global recession.

Nguyen Ton Quyen, general secretary of the Viet Nam Wood and Forest Products Association, said wooden furniture exporters had faced several difficulties this year as importers tried to force down prices.

They had to meet new requirements on chemicals used and on certifying the origins of materials, both of which would increase production costs, Quyen said.

However, the industry had overcome its hardest period as exports increased again in the last months of the year, he said.

Besides, many local firms have increased the use of domestic wood in production. Domestic wood has been now able to meet around 30 per cent of the firms’ demand, according to experts.

Experts have said that to develop exports sustainably, the Government should devise a long term development strategy for the wood furniture industry and have incentives including easier access to credit, trade promotion activities and stable material zones.

Producers also needed to co-operate and build good distribution networks for the domestic market, they said. — VNS