Jul 01, 2008. /Lesprom.com/. The Contract Section of the Timber Industry Development Division processed and approved a total contract volume of 156,938 cubic meter during the 1Q 2008, ITTO reported. The section also processed the approval of 54,866 pieces of furniture parts during the same period. Compared to the last quarter of 2007, the contracts approved represented increases of 13% and 28.48% respectively. The significant percentage increase in furniture parts could be attributed to the anticipated high demand of the product in Europe during summer 2008. For instance, garden furniture parts accounted for about 80% of contracts approved for Scanstyle Mim Company Ltd. during the 1Q 2008. The volume of lumber rose sharply to 68,212 cubic meter, representing an increase of 31.52% as compared to the volume for the previous quarter. Lumber accounted for 43.46% of the total contract volume approved during the period. Teak lumber was 7.60% of the total lumber volume, representing 5,187 cubic meter. The total plywood volume was 47,401 cubic meter for the period, increasing 26.72% when compared to the previous quarter. There were decreases in the volume of contracts processed for sliced veneer, boules and poles/billets/logs. These products dropped 5.83%, 65.90% and 29.19% and reached volumes of 9,253 cubic meter, 282 cubic meter and 19,789 cubic meter respectively. Three area contract offices in Kumasi, Accra and Sunyani processed and approved 29.92%, 4.64% and 11.73% respectively, which together accounted for 46.29% of the total contract volumes approved. The Takoradi office accounted for the remaining 53.71%.