Malaysia remained the top supplier of tropical wood flooring
to the 27 member countries of the European Union (EU27) last
year.
In 2024, Malaysia exported 8,500 tonnes of tropical wood
flooring to the European bloc, accounting for nearly 46 per cent
of the latter¡¯s total imports of 18,400 tonnes, valued at
US$48.4 million for the year.
Despite shipments dropping by 16 per cent from 2023, Malaysia
continued to maintain a comfortable lead over its closest
suppliers, Indonesia and Vietnam.
Year-on-year, EU27 imports from Indonesia fell by 23 per cent to
3,600 tonnes but increased by 65 per cent to 4,500 tonnes from
Vietnam. The bloc¡¯s total imports fell by eight per cent in
volume and 16 per cent in value in 2024.
¡°The value of EU27 imports of other joinery products from
tropical countries, which mainly comprise laminated window
scantlings, kitchen tops, and wood doors, was US$213 million in
2024, up by 8 per cent from the previous year. Import quantity
increased by 14 per cent to 91,600 tonnes during the year.
Import value rose by 19 per cent to US$87.9 million from
Indonesia and by 40 per cent to US$18.8 million from Vietnam.
¡°Imports from China, which fell sharply in 2023, recovered some
lost ground in 2024, rising by 8 per cent to US$3.4 million.
Starting from a small base, the EU¡¯s import value of laminated
joinery products also continued to increase from Central African
countries last year, including from the Republic of Congo (+28
per cent to US$14.2 million) and Cameroon (+69 per cent to
US$4.6 million).
¡°However, last year, imports of joinery products fell by 9 per
cent to US$61.8 million from Malaysia. Indirect imports from the
UK also declined, by 7 per cent to US$5.2 million,¡± according to
the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) Tropical
Timber Market Report (February 16-28, 2025).
Malaysia was the second-largest supplier of joinery products
to Europe last year.
In 2024, the EU27 cut its imports of tropical sawnwood by 14 per
cent to 726,000 cubic metres (cu m), the lowest level ever
recorded. This marks only the second time in history that EU
imports of tropical sawnwood have fallen below 800,000 cu m in a
year. The only other instance was in 2020, during the first year
of the pandemic when imports totalled 784,000 cu m. The import
value of this commodity was US$680.8 million in 2024, down by 13
per cent from 2023.
Tropical sawnwood imports declined from nearly all leading
supply countries, including Malaysia: from Cameroon (-16 per
cent to 276,800 cu m), Gabon (-18 per cent to 106,300 cu m),
Brazil (-7 per cent to 91,200 cu m), Republic of Congo (-21 per
cent to 73,800 cu m), Malaysia (-7 per cent to 64,100 cu m),
Ghana (-16 per cent to 17,200 cu m), Côte d¡¯Ivoire (-34 per cent
to 9,300 cu m), the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) (-42 per
cent to 7,600 cu m), Suriname (-20 per cent to 7,200 cu m),
Indonesia (-4 per cent to 6,300 cu m), and the Central African
Republic (-56 per cent to 5,600 cu m).
¡°Sawnwood imports from Ecuador bucked the overall downward trend
during the year, rising to 16,000 cu m, up 25 per cent compared
to 2023. Imports from Vietnam also increased, by 53 per cent to
6,600 cu m,¡± added ITTO.
Regarding tropical mouldings, the EU27 reduced its imports by
three per cent to 131,300 tonnes in 2024, reaching another
record low, while import value fell by 10 per cent to US$232.3
million. The decline was driven by a fall in shipments from
Brazil (-9 per cent to 43,900 tonnes) and Gabon (-21 per cent to
8,300 tonnes). However, imports increased during the year from
Indonesia (+10 per cent to 45,000 tonnes), Peru (+16 per cent to
11,900 tonnes), and Malaysia (+3 per cent to 6,500 tonnes).
On tropical logs, EU27 imports in 2024 plunged by 60 per cent in
volume to 37,000 cu m and fell by 62 per cent in value to
US$21.9 million. The decline was mainly due to policy measures
in Central Africa aimed at curtailing log exports over the past
two years. Log shipments from the Central African Republic fell
by 34 per cent to 10,500 cu m, from the DRC slipped by 39 per
cent to 6,200 cu m, from Cameroon dropped by 40 per cent to
5,800 cu m, and from the Republic of Congo plummeted by 90 per
cent to 4,600 cu m.
In 2024, the EU27 increased its imports of tropical plywood
by six per cent to 283,200 cu m, valued at US$205.7 million,
compared to 2023. However, shipments from the No 1 supplier,
Indonesia, dropped by 10 per cent to 78,600 cu m. On the other
hand, imports from Malaysia surged by 39 per cent to 6,400 cu m,
while those from Vietnam by 93 per cent to 27,600 cu m.
For tropical wood furniture products, 2024 saw a recovery in
imports by EU countries, with an overall increase of seven per
cent in volume to 285,500 cu m and a six per cent rise in import
value to US$1,193 million. Shipments increased from Vietnam (+9
per cent to US$484.9 million), India (+16 per cent to US$264.5
million), Malaysia (+19 per cent to US$94 million), and the
Philippines (+3 per cent to US$8.3 million).
However, import value declined from Indonesia (-6 per cent to
US$315.5 million), Thailand (-25 per cent to US$14.4 million),
and Mexico (-15 per cent to US$3.9 million).
Source: sarawaktribune.com
