Vietnam’s rubber wood available in over 100 nations, territories

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam’s rubber wood and rubber wood products are exported to over 100 nations and territories, said To Xuan Phuc, a senior policy analyst from Forest Trends, a US-based non-profit organisation.

Each year, Vietnam earns from 1.7-1.8 billion USD from exporting rubber wood and products, accounting for over 20 percent of the total export value of the timber sector. Rubber wood and products are also one of the most important exported commodities of the rubber sector.

Rubber wood is playing an increasingly essential role in both rubber and timber sectors. In recent years, the rubber sector has supplied around 4.5-5 million cu.m of wood with a clear source of origin, as they come from over 25-year-old rubber trees which have low latex productivity.

Vietnam now has around 970,000 hectares of rubber trees, of which an average 25,000 hectares produce over 4.5 million cu.m of wood each year. Almost all wood exploited belongs to subsidiaries of the Vietnam Rubber Group, which makes Vietnamese rubber wood easily receive Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)’s sustainable timber certificate.

Wood with FSC certification will help expand Vietnam’s export of rubber wood and rubber wood products, Phuc affirmed.

However, to that end, the rubber sector should have a specific strategy, in which the Vietnam Rubber Group plays the most important role, he added.-VNA