Over the years, the wood processing industry has always been "the praises of the name" of the 10 largest export sector of Vietnam besides the group was "the point to remember names," such as telephones and components; computers, electronic products and components; Footwear; seafood (5.07 billion dollars) ... All the statistics showed, the enormous potential of the wood processing industry in Vietnam. But brands are not many internationally known her? - Illustration

Strong export potential ...

Vietnam's wood industry joined the "club exporting billion" from 2004 to 2014, the export value was US $ 6.2 billion, up 6 times in the last 10 years. As reported by the General Administration of Customs, 2015, the export value of the whole industry reached $ 6.9 billion, up 10% compared to 2014 and 23% compared to 2013 in 2015, this sector accounted No. Total turnover 6 groups of national exports.

Besides, the timber industry is also rare achieving timber exports in 5 years as plans are proposed. Currently, the products from Vietnam's wood is being consumed in over 100 countries around the world and regions.

The Vietnam negotiation and successful conclusion of trade agreements, most notably freedom of TPP and EVFTA (free trade agreements Vietnam - EU) are creating opportunities for the timber industry Vietnam to drive growth new opportunities from the expansion of export markets, enhancing opportunities to import high-tech equipment with reasonable prices, increase investment opportunities from the member states and of the agreements on special especially mechanisms and favorable development environment.

... But no brand

According to statistics, the amount of FDI enterprises operating in this sector accounts for only 14%, while 80% are privately owned enterprises. However, it is worth mentioning is the small number but despite accounting for export values that FDI firms repossession this very large, up to 50% of total turnover. Statistics from the General Administration of Customs in QI / 2016 also makes it clear that when the total exports of timber and timber products from FDI enterprises up to 720 million, accounting for 47.4% of total turnover of all country.

Report of the Directorate of Forestry also continued indicates, most of the wood processing facilities in Vietnam are small, low level of technology, machinery and products obsolete should produce a very low value , inability to compete on the market. The majority of the processing performed only in primary processing stages.

Nguyen Ton Quyen - Vice President of Timber and Forest Product Association of Vietnam (VIFORES) confirmed that "the export value of Vietnam's wood products amounted to nearly $ 7 billion in 2015, but no one product that has Made in Vietnam paste mark on the product ".

Explaining the issue, Mr Quyen said that Vietnam's wood lot, a large forest area but large-diameter timber is very small when only 10 - 15% of which this is the key commodities for export as well as the creation of wood products for export. Vietnam's wood currently present merely used to make pulp and artificial board ... That's the reason why, Vietnam timber products exported to the large number, but not enough "substance" to move forward.

The development of the timber sector in particular and in general in the wood processing integration is no longer just now encapsulated in the work of maintaining the position of "exporting billion" in the group has a high proportion of exports that is becoming story about bringing this item has a "name" on world markets.

Integration understood in a simple way is to bring Vietnam to become part of global supply chains. Specific to the wood processing industry is the process of bringing this industry to become part of global supply chains for timber and timber products worldwide.

To do this, Mr Quyen said that Vietnam must do 3 issues: policies to encourage long-term development of the timber industry for instance have a stable tax policy; must have the right quality planning with investment focus; especially to have a stable market in abroad to then proceed to accelerate the training of human resources and technology development to keep up with world trends.

The story of the development of Vietnam's wood industry is currently the same as the development of the textile industry - the industry has always been considered one of the sectors that benefited most from TPP: Development towards the successful production of "goods the "own Vietnam and put this brand on the map of world brands.

The orientation is also Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Trang - Director of the Center of VCCI share that WTO, Vietnam will select development "leveling", ie support the weaker sector or provide weak support solid to support the industry and support development of other industries.

Because according to her page, the development of timber does not merely give the DN 4000, 300,000 employees are active in this field development but also related the story of millions of farmers who are planting, the low-income people of remote areas. The development of wood industries related to social security, poverty reduction all over the country should really need to have the appropriate policies for the development was always on track.

Quynh Lien