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