Timber exports to the Middle East reached 37.3 million USD, up 37.1 percent in the first half of this year, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Between 2009 and 2013, Vietnam’s furniture exports to Middle Eastern markets increased three times with the total turnover for 2013 hitting a record of 54.6 million USD.

In the first quarter of 2014 alone, timber shipments surged by 38 percent to 18.6 million USD.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Kuwait and Israel are among key importers.

Over the past years, the UAE was the largest importer of Vietnamese wood products with the import value of 12.8 million USD in 2012, accounting for 36 percent of Vietnam’s total wood exports to the Middle East.

Meanwhile, Vietnam shipped 15.3 million USD of wood products to Saudi Arabia last year, making up 28 percent of the former’s total wood exports to this region.

According to the International Trade Centre, the region yearly imports nearly 6 billion USD of wood products.

So far, made-in-Vietnam timber products are present in over 120 countries and territories worldwide and have become a key export commodity.-VNA