Dec 18, 2013. /Lesprom Network/. The Indonesia Ministry of Forestry Director of Processing and Marketing of Forest Products, Dwi Sudharto, said that wood product exports in the first 10 months of this year are about 10% higher than in the same period last year. The value of wood product exports from January to October 2012 was $4.2 billion while in the first ten months of 2013 the total was $4.7 billion, ITTO reported.

Some 64,682 V-legal certificates have been issued as of November covering exports from 69 exit points in the country. The top five export destinations were China $1.40 billion, Japan $874.8 million, South Korea $378.2 million, the United States $340.7 million and Australia $194 million. Exports to Asian countries totalled more than 75% of the total value of exports.

Sawnwood exports to the European Union at 346,000 tons ranked second after those to Asian markets. The main wood products exported were woodbased panels, pulp, paper, wood crafts, and furniture. 

Purwadi Soeprihanto, Executive Director of the Association of Indonesian Forest Concessionaires, said prospects for Indonesian wood product exports are good now that the timber legality assurance system in Indonesia has been recognised by the European Union.