Timber product exports from southern Dong Nai province climbed 18.5 percent year on year to reach approximately 550 million USD in the first half of 2015, bringing a trade surplus of over 390 million USD for the sector, said the provincial Bureau of Statistics.

The province mainly shipped its timber products to the US, the Republic of Korea (RoK), Japan, Canada, China and Australia.

Exports to the RoK and Japan significantly expanded owing to the duty reduction from the free trade agreements between Vietnam and the two countries.

Experts have bright forecasts for domestic timber exports by the end of this year, particularly after Vietnam signs the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement and a free trade agreement with the European Union.-VNA