The Vietnam Timber and Forest Products Association (Viforest) convened its fifth congress for the 2025–2030 term in Ho Chi Minh City on December 11, outlining key tasks to support sustainable growth in the new period.

Export revenue from wood and wooden products is forecast to exceed 18 billion USD in 2025.

According to Viforest’s report, the sector maintained solid expansion over the past five years despite global trade fluctuations. Export revenue from wood and wooden products rose from 10.33 billion USD to 16.2 billion USD and is forecast to exceed 18 billion USD in 2025, keeping Vietnam the leading exporter in Asia and among the world’s top five.

These results were attributed to stronger coordination among enterprises, forest growers and state agencies, along with Viforest’s role in assisting firms with technical regulations, market information and trade-remedy responses.

The gradual strengthening of the legal timber supply chain has also helped the industry meet stricter requirements in major markets.

However, Viforest noted that the sector continues to face structural challenges, including rising political and trade competition, origin fraud risks and tariff pressure.

Limited management capacity and weak information coordination in some enterprises have slowed their reaction to market changes.

Increasingly demanding standards on green production and emission reduction, particularly under the EU’s new deforestation regulation (EUDR) pose added difficulties for small and medium-sized firms.

For the 2025–2030 term, Viforest aims to reinforce its role as a hub for innovation, build long-term development plans and expand cooperation with ministries and international partners to support the sector’s green transition.

The association identified five priorities, helping enterprises expand markets, strengthening branding, developing high-value products, promoting deeper processing and improving system-wide coordination and trade promotion.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Nguyen Quoc Tri acknowledged Viforest’s contributions and called for faster adoption of new approaches to meet emerging standards, particularly those on legal timber and emissions.

He also underscored the need to strengthen the legal timber supply chain and promote the image of a transparent, environmentally responsible processing industry.

The congress elected a 31-member Executive Committee for the new term, with Nguyen Quoc Khanh, Chairman of AA Corporation, chosen as Viforest President. He said the sector aims not only to expand export scale but also to increase added value, bringing greater benefits to forest growers.

To achieve the export target of 25 billion USD by 2030, he emphasised three directions: enhancing competitiveness through stronger linkages; building a national brand for Vietnamese wooden products; and diversifying markets, product lines and distribution channels.

He stressed the need for a resilient supply chain, improved production capacity, investment in green manufacturing and a data system aligned with international standards.

Viforest also encouraged enterprises to increase their presence at major global trade fairs, deepen connections with foreign partners and make better use of Vietnam’s overseas trade offices. Domestically, upgrading specialised exhibitions would help position Vietnam as a key destination for international buyers.

The majestic beauty of Son Doong Cave to feature in Bollywood film

This August, “Silaa,” an upcoming Bollywood action-romance film with a production budget of approximately 4 million USD, will begin filming at several iconic destinations across Viet Nam, including the world-renowned Son Doong Cave in Quang Tri Province.

 

Carpenter’s drivable wooden supercars rack up 50 billion social media views

A carpenter from Bac Ninh Province, northern Vietnam, has taken the internet by storm with his handcrafted wooden supercars, drawing an astonishing 50 billion views across YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok.

Wood industry proactively reduces impact from tariff policy

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, if the US imposes reciprocal tariffs on Vietnam, orders could immediately decline. High tariffs will cause wood products from Vietnam to lose their competitive advantage, and customers will seek supplies from countries with lower tariffs. In the long term, this will narrow Vietnam’s wood export market, and the value of forestry exports is at risk of decreasing significantly.

Wood exports reach over 2.5 billion USD in two months

Vietnam’s wood and wood product exports reached over 2.5 billion USD in the first two months of the year, statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment showed.

Sau village’s traditional wooden houses preserved

BAC GIANG – Located on a low hill by the Thuong River, over 10 kilometers from the center of Bac Giang city, Sau village in Lien Chung commune, Tan Yen district retains its ancient charm.