COLOMBIA – In the first nine months of 2019 (9M-2019) Colombia exported wooden furniture for USD 27.93 million, growth of 15.3 percent compared to the same period of 2018 when exports reached USD 24.22 million.

The positioning of Colombian wood furniture abroad continues to grow and with a 22.2 percent share of the exported value RTA Muebles again lead the segment. In 9M-2019, this manufacturer from Valle del Cauca reached sales abroad for USD 6.19 million, a 17.2 percent drop in its exports when compared to 9M-2018 (USD 7.48 million).

In second place was Muebles Jamar , which obtained an important growth of its exports of 47.6 percent in 9M-2019 with USD 4.63 million, equivalent to 16.6 percent of the total exports of Colombian wooden furniture in the period.

Panama was the main destination of Colombian exports of wooden furniture in 9M-2019 registering USD 7.55 million and with an improvement of 18.9 percent. With shipments for USD 6.63 million (9M-2018: USD 4.06 million) the United States remained the second largest foreign market with a notable growth of 63.3 percent in the period. Mexico was the third largest market in 9M-2019 with USD 3.74 million.

Guatemala, going from USD 507 thousand in 9M-2018 to USD 1.14 million in 9M-2019, was the fastest growing foreign market for Colombian wooden furniture.