The United States continues to be the top market for Vietnamese wood
According to statistics from General Department of Customs (Ministry of Finance), export value of wood and wood products in February 2025 reached 1.03 billion USD, down 27.7% compared to January 2025, but up 33.9% compared to February 2024; of which, export value of wood products reached 665.7 million USD, down 32.2% compared to January 2025 but up 38.9% compared to February 2024.
In the first two months of 2025, export value of wood and wood products reached 2.45 billion USD, up 9.4% over the same period in 2024; In which, export value of wood products reached 1.65 billion USD, an increase of 9.1% over the same period in 2024.
Export of wood and wood products in the first 2 months of 2025 was favorable, with export value to major markets recording positive growth. Leading in export value of wood and wood products was the US market, reaching 1.3 billion USD, an increase of 9.5% over the same period in 2024.
The US is the largest consumer market for wood and wood products in Vietnam, with a value accounting for 53.1% of total export value. Next is the export to the Japanese market, reaching 323.4 million USD, an increase of 21%, accounting for 13.2%; China reached 259.9 million USD, a decrease of 15.2%, accounting for 10.6%; Korea reached 119.5 million USD, an increase of 6.3%, accounting for 4.9%...
Although export value of wood and wood products achieved good results in the first two months of 2025, in the coming time, this industry still face many difficulties, as major export markets increasingly require strict control of wood origin.
Talking to reporters of Cong Thuong Newspaper, Mr. Tran Le Huy - Vice President of Binh Dinh Timber and Forest Products Association (FPA Binh Dinh) - said that in 2025, in context of many changes in the macro economy, deepening challenges and difficulties from 2024 such as the Russia - Ukraine conflict has not ended, fluctuations in the supply chain with high sea freight rates, changes in trade policies of many countries have greatly affected investment and development activities, production and business as well as the export turnover of the Vietnamese wood industry. Specifically, for the US market, tax policies and trade defense policies have many unpredictable changes, while export value of the Vietnamese wood industry to the US market accounts for nearly 60% of total export turnover. Therefore, any change in policy in this market will greatly impact investment, development, production, business and export turnover of Vietnamese wood industry.
Meanwhile, for the EU market, the EUDR will be officially applied on December 31, 2025, carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM), Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) related to greenhouse gas emission reduction, eco-design, etc., will also have a significant impact on wood processing and export industry.
In Japanese market, changes in the FIT policy and regulations on use of wood materials with clear origins will impact Vietnam's wood pellet export industry.
In South Korea, main import market for plywood, pellets and plywood from Vietnam is in context of the country's economy not yet recovering. Bank of Korea has adjusted down the country's gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate in 2025 from 1.9% to 1.5%, the deepest adjustment since 2022.
China - the market that imports over 70% of Vietnam's wood chips, wooden products are being affected by the EUDR (EU) as well as the policy of increasing import taxes to the United States.
Meanwhile, according to businesses in the industry, price of imported wood materials is currently increasing due to limited supply. In addition, Vietnamese wood industry is fiercely competitive with other major suppliers, including China, Malaysia, and Indonesia, which are also major wood exporters with advantages in technology and costs.
Towards sustainable development
With its natural, environmentally friendly characteristics, wood industry has significant potential to contribute to the country's decarbonization and sustainable development goals. Trend of urban and industrial development promotes increasing market demand in both quantity and quality for interior wood and engineered wood products.
From perspective of Ministry of Industry and Trade, Mr. Vu Ba Phu - Director of Trade Promotion Agency - said that to support Vietnamese wood industry to keep up with this trend, Trade Promotion Agency said that it develop an Export Promotion Strategy with goal of exporting wood and forest products to reach 25 billion USD by 2030, Vietnamese wood industry will develop sustainably based on proactively sourcing raw materials, using certified wood and products with reduced emissions.
In addition, improving compliance capacity and certification for wood enterprises contributes to enhancing competitive advantages in market and expanding export opportunities. Compliance with standards also helps minimize legal and commercial risks for enterprises. At the same time, strengthening trade promotion and building brands for Vietnamese wood products.
Mr. Do Duc Duy - Minister of Agriculture and Environment - acknowledged that forestry industry in general and wood and forest product exports in particular, still have a lot of room for development.
Emphasizing "sustainable" and "multi-purpose" orientation for forestry sector, Minister Do Duc Duy hopes that in the coming time, through changing management methods, forestry industry will further increase content and processing technology, step out of "safe growth" zone of 5% and soon break through, achieving double-digit growth.
Experts also said that for wood industry to develop sustainably, in addition to meeting regulations and standards on origin and environment, Vietnamese enterprises need to invest in processing technology, improve product quality to maintain competitive advantages and expand exports to new markets.

Source: Vitic/ congthuong.vn