Apr 15, 2009. /Lesprom Network/. Peru’s wood exports from January-February 2009 dropped 50% by value, when compared to the previous year. Exports also fell to $19.6 million during 2009 from $39.2 million from the same period in 2008, as ITTO informed Lesprom Network. Sawnwood represented 37.6% of sector exports. Exports in January-February 2009 were just over $7 million, while for the same period in 2008 exports were $20 million, a year-on-year decrease of 63%. The main markets for this sub-sector were Mexico, China, the US, and the Dominican Republic, which received 41%, 22%, 14%, 8% of sawnwood exports, respectively. Semi-manufactured products accounted for 42% of wood sector exports and ware the principal export item in the wood sector. Exports in January-February 2009 were valued at $8.3 million, while exports for the same period in 2008 were valued at $10.3 million, marking a 19% drop in exports against 2008 levels. The main markets for this sub-sector were China, the US and Hong Kong, which received 80%, 9% and 5% of semimanufactured products, respectively. Veneer and plywood exports for the January-February 2009 period were $1.7 million, while exports for the same period in 2008 were valued at $4.7 million, falling 62.6%. Results from the sub-sector show Mexico as the main market for Peru’s exports (78.7%) followed by Venezuela (15.4%), with other countries making up the remaining 5.9%. Furniture exports were worth a value of $1.1 million during the January-February 2009 period, a 56.2% decrease from the same period in 2008. The main market destination for these products was the US (58.7%), followed by Italy (21.5%). During the January-February 2009 period, exports were concentrated in three markets representing 81.1% of total wood products exports. China represented 42.6% of exports in the sector, dropping 6.5% when compared to the previous year. Mexico followed, receiving 23% of exports, although this was a 70% drop in exports received in the previous year. The US was the third destination market, representing 15.3% of exports, although its level of imports has fallen 68.9% when compared to the same period in 2008.