The Mekong Delta has long been perceived solely as a land for cultivating paddy, fruit trees, fish and shrimp. This mindset, entrenched over many years, has become an invisible barrier, preventing the country’s most fertile region from being systematically integrated into national strategies for forestry and timber development. Vietnam’s wood and woodwork exports totaled approximately US$13.4 billion in 2023, reflecting the impact of weaker global demand. The industry rebounded strongly in 2024, with exports rising 20.3% year-on-year to US$16.25 billion, securing Vietnam’s position among the world’s top five woodwork exporters. Furniture shipments contributed US$6.44 billion, representing 30.4% of total exports. The United States remained Vietnam’s largest market, accounting for more than 55% of overall woodwork exports. Despite robust export growth, Vietnam’s woodwork industry remains heavily reliant on imported raw materials. In 2024, wood and wood product imports reached US$2.81 billion, a 28.1% increase from 2023. Raw wood alone accounted for approximately US$2.4 billion, representing 85.2% of total imports. Sawn timber imports rose sharply to 2.39 million cubic meters, valued at US$923 million—up 66.4% year-on-year. In the first half of 2025, Vietnam imported 2.5 million cubic meters of timber worth US$838.4 million, marking a significant rise in both volume and value […]