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valued at US$822.4 million, up three percent compared to Central regions.
March 2026, but down 6% compared to April 2025. To maintain timber exports to Europe, Vietnam is accelerating
In the first four months of 2026, total wooden furniture the completion of provincial forest boundary databases and
exports reached US$3.1 billion, down six percent compared forest mapping systems to ensure compliance with the EU
to the same period in 2025. Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) before the end of 2026.
Vietnam’s imports of raw wood (logs and sawnwood) in In addition, beginning in 2026, Vietnam has been deploying
March 2026 reached 601,109 cubic metres, valued at US$204.5 advanced technologies including Artificial Intelligence (AI),
million, up 58 percent in volume and 58.8 percent in value big data and cloud computing to monitor forest changes
compared to February 2026. through satellite imagery and strengthen forest governance
Compared to March 2025, imports increased by three and traceability systems.
percent in volume and 15.0 percent in value. Overall, during
the first three months of 2026 raw wood imports totalled 1.6 Vietnam boosts shipments to Europe
million cubic metres, worth US$542.7 million, representing The Vietnam Timber and Forest Products Association said
increases of 11 percent in volume and 20 percent in value that wood industry enterprises are accelerating exports to the
compared to the same period in 2025. European Union (EU) as demand recovers and EU partners
Vietnam’s non-timber forest product (NTFP) exports in increase orders.
March 2026 were estimated at US$83.37 million, representing According to Vietnam Customs, exports of wood and wood
a significant increase of 50 percent compared to February products reached about US$17.2 billion in 2025, up nearly six
2026 and an increase of six percent compared to March 2025. percent from the previous year, the highest level on record.
In the first three months of 2026, total NTFP exports In addition to traditional markets such as the US, Japan
reached US$239.18 million, up 14 percent over the same and China, exports to the EU have shown positive signs,
period in 2025. driven by rising demand for processed wood products and
As of early May 2026, Vietnam’s wood and wood product high-end furniture.
industry is targeting total exports of approximately US$18 European orders maintained a positive trend in the first
billion for 2026. months of 2026. Many wood exporters are ramping up
In the first quarter of 2026, exports were estimated at shipments to the European market.
around US$3.95 billion, representing a modest increase of As EU demand rebounds, Vietnamese enterprises are
approximately one percent compared to the same period boosting exports and front-loading shipments ahead of
in 2025. traceability requirements while investing in supply chain
Stronger demand from China, Japan and the EU has digitalisation and raw material transparency.
helped offset weaker demand from the US market, while
many enterprises have reportedly secured export orders
through August 2026. Chris RubberDragon
The Vietnamese Government plans to initiate negotiations
in June to transfer more than five million forest carbon credits
to the non-profit organisation Emergent at a minimum price of
US$10 per credit. These credits are generated from projects
implemented in Vietnam’s Central Highlands and South-

