Vietnam’s wood and forest product exports reach US$16.5bn amid trade pressures

Vietnam’s wood and forest product exports reached US$16.5 billion in the first 11 months of the year, confirming the sector’s continued importance to the country’s export economy while also revealing mounting constraints. Export growth stood at 5.4%, falling short of the initial target of around 6%, as companies faced increasing difficulties in key overseas markets.

These issues were discussed at a conference held in November aimed at addressing export bottlenecks, removing trade barriers and expanding markets for wood and forest products. The event was organised by the Forestry and Forest Protection Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, together with the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Agriculture and Environment and the Handicraft and Wood Industry Association of Ho Chi Minh City (HAWA). Nguyen Van Dien, Deputy Director of the Forestry and Forest Protection Department, said exports remained high in absolute terms but were underperforming expectations. He pointed to challenges in major destination markets, tighter technical barriers linked to legal timber origin, expanding transparency requirements and sustained pressure on business costs.

Domestic production has also been affected. Extreme weather events disrupted raw material supplies during the year, reducing processing output and adding further strain to manufacturers already coping with weaker demand and higher compliance costs.

From a local industry perspective, Ho Truc Thanh, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Agriculture and Environment, noted that the city currently has more than 5,120 enterprises involved in the wood-processing value chain. Authorities, he said, are promoting green transformation and digitalisation to help companies meet increasingly demanding international standards.

Trade defence actions are another growing concern. According to Truong Thuy Linh, Deputy Director of the Trade Remedies Authority under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, vietnamese goods were subject to 297 trade remedy investigations worldwide by October 2025, with the United States accounting for 77 cases. Businesses were urged to cooperate fully with investigations, maintain transparent documentation and accelerate efforts to diversify export markets.

The conference concluded that vietnam’s wood industry is entering a critical phase, with sustained export growth dependent on closer coordination between regulators and enterprises, stronger compliance with legal timber requirements and a more diversified approach to global markets.