Forestry exports estimated at 4.15 billion USD

Hanoi (VNA) – The forestry sector earned 4.15 billion USD from exports in the first six months of the year, accounting for 46 percent of the yearly plan and up nearly 8.4 percent year on year.

The US, China, Japan and the Republic of Korea were the four largest importers of wood and wooden products from Vietnam.

The Vietnam Administration of Forestry under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) attributed the result to restructuring in the forestry sector with a wide range of high value production models. In addition, development in the domestic wood market drove investment in forestry production.

Some 3,500 private and foreign direct investment businesses have diversified their forestry products and exported them to 100 countries and territories worldwide, mainly the US, the EU, Japan, the Republic of Korea and China.

To improve the productivity and quality of the forest, many localities have applied intensive cultivating models to boost afforestation while strictly managing seedlings.

A total 9 million cubic metres of wood were exploited from planted forests  in the first six months of the year, or 50 percent of the yearly plan and up 2.3 percent from the same time in 2017.

Along with branching out forest areas, the MARD evaluated the development of cooperatives and forestry value chain in some provinces such as Son La, Quang Ninh, Quang Tri, Dak Nong and Ca Mau.

Five pilot models on economic cooperatives and forestry value chain are being established in those localities.-VNA