The wood processing industry has become one of key sectors in Binh Dinh in the past 10 years. However, it still sees many shortcomings. Dr. Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc, deputy head of Vietnam Forestry Institute, talks more about the issue.
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Wood manufacturing at Tan Duc Duy Co., Ltd in Phu Tai IZ. Photo V.L
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Could you brief us on the real situation of wood processing industry in Vietnam as well as in Binh Dinh?
The wood processing industry has strongly developed in the past 10 years. Vietnam’s wooden products are now present in 120 countries and territories, such as the US, European countries, and Japan. The wooden products are ranked as first among forest products for export.
But wood processing companies are still facing many challenges. Only 200 c.m of forest timber is exploited each year in Vietnam after the policy on forest closing was implemented. Most businesses, thus, have to import raw materials.
The statistics released by Vietnam Timber and Forest Product Association showed that Vietnam annually imports nearly 1 million c.b of artificial planks of different types, of which the MDF wood accounts for 60 percent.
What’s more, many economic experts said the wood processing companies’ expense in Vietnam is fairly higher than other countries in the region.
Binh Dinh is one of provinces having great potential for the wood processing industry. The export turnover value of wood processing sector annually accounts for over 60 percent of the province’s total export turnover.
However, like other provinces and cities, the wood processing industry in Binh Dinh still sees many difficulties.
Is that the reason why the Vietnam Forestry Institute decided to study the planning of wood processing industry?
That’s right. The planning of Vietnam’s wood processing industry is really necessary, aiming to resolve difficulties and help the industry develop sustainably.
Could you brief us on the main features of the planning?
Vietnam Forestry Institute coordinated with Agro-Forestry-Aquatic Products Processing, Trading and Salt Industries Department to carry out the study, aiming to build the planning of Vietnam’s wood processing industry until 2015 and its orientation to 2025.
Basing on the current situation, its development, targets, orientation, and other conditions, we will carry out an overall planning and a regional planning.
In the southern central coastal region, for example, facilities for manufacturing woodwork and artificial planks will be upgraded while the Central Highlands region will see the establishment of wood processing industrial zones and facilities producing refined wood products.
As for the regional planning, each region will be divided into sub-regions, such as northwestern sub-region, northeastern sub-region, and Mekong Delta sub-region.
The southern central coastal region, from Quy Nhon to Da Nang, will become a hub for forest planting in combination with processing.
Vietnam’s total capacity of sawn timber is estimated to reach nearly 7 million c.m per year until 2025, in which the 2010-2015 period will see 4.5 million c.m per year. The MDF plank manufacturing is expected to attain 1.35 million c.m per year, in which the 2010-2015 period will see 750,000 c.m per year.
As for the southern central coastal region, the manufacturing of artificial planks is expected to reach 125,000 c.m per year, of which Binh Dinh Province’s companies will produce 15,000 c.m per year.
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