May 26, 2006. /Lesprom Network/. Production of tropical sawnwood in ITTO producing countries totalled 40.7 million cubic meters in 2004, up 4.1% from 2003, ITTO reported. Tropical sawnwood production in these countries grew a further 1.6% to 41.3 million cubic meters in 2005 due to increases in all producing regions. Africa, which makes up only 10% of ITTO production, still suffers from weak infrastructure and environmentally demanding export markets that constrain major investments in wood processing, but production is gradually rising due to log export bans and requirements for further processing in many countries. Latin America, with around 44% of ITTO tropical sawnwood production, grew by over 2% to 18.2 million cubic meters between 2003 and 2005. Asian production grew by 10% over the same period, to above 18.9 million cubic meters in 2005. The Asian region accounted for around 46% of tropical sawnwood production in producer countries in 2004 and 2005. Brazil is by far the largest ITTO tropical sawnwood producer, at an estimated 15.9 million cubic meters in 2004. India (6 million cubic meters), Malaysia (4.9 million cubic meters), Indonesia (3.4 million cubic meters) and Thailand (2.8 million cubic meters) were other major producers of tropical sawnwood in 2004. Production in all of these countries except Malaysia was relatively stable in 2005. Malaysia’s tropical sawnwood production increased 2.5% to 5.1 million cubic meters in 2005. The top five tropical sawnwood producing countries comprised over 80% of ITTO sawnwood production in 2004-2005. Six other countries (Nigeria, Myanmar, Cameroon, China, Peru and Cоte d’Ivoire) produced over 500 000 cubic meters of tropical sawnwood in 2004. Production increased in 2005 in all of these countries, except for Nigeria (stable), Cameroon and Cote d’Ivoire (both declined).