Timber suppliers learn about legal issues

A workshop was launched in Hanoi on August 23 to help Vietnamese timber suppliers update with revisions of the Lacey Act of the US, which is currently Vietnam’s largest furniture trader.

The event was co-organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the WWF’s Global Forest & Trade Network (GFTN) with support from the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

“Supplementary articles of the Lacey Act, dated May 2008, provide challenges and also opportunities for Vietnam to better improve its management of forest, timber import and processing”, Ha Cong Tuan, the Vietnam Directorate of Forestry Deputy General Director said in his opening speech.

By bettering its management, Vietnam aims to sustain and expand its share of the US furniture market. It considers the US furniture market a high priority, he added.

Combating timber trafficking was also a highlight of the forum, which brought together representatives from Government, the forestry sector and suppliers of forest products.

Tuan affirmed that Vietnam has cooperated with many countries around the world and made governmental-level commitments to intensify its forest management to prevent illegal logging.

He cited the country’s participation in the ASEAN action plan to adapt to the EU Action Plan for Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT).

Cooperating in tackling illegal logging will help Vietnamese producers, because as demand increases, Vietnam can gain market access by increasing its supply of legal timber products”, said Francis Donovan, Mission Director of USAID Vietnam.

Vietnam is among the world’s top five in terms of increased forest coverage and top ten in terms of furniture exports, and the country is set to rake in US$3 billion from furniture exports this year. – VOV

Tags: Vietnam timber, Vietnam Timber exports