COLOMBIA – In the first two months of 2020 Colombia exported wooden furniture for USD 5.0 million, a decrease of 31.6 percent compared to the same period previous year when exports of wooden furniture reached USD 7.3 million.

The leading Colombian exporter in the January – February 2020 period was again RTA Muebles. With a 37.5 percent share of total Colombian wooden furniture exports, this manufacturer from Valle del Cauca reached exports for USD 1.8 million, a very strong improvement of 80.3 percent compared to the same period of 2019 (USD 1.0 million).

Muebles Jamar came in second place with a 10.5 percent share of Colombia’s total wooden furniture exports. Founded in 1951, Jamar sells home furnishings through its own retail chain which has had a strong presence in Colombia and since a few years back neighboring Panama, where it currently operates six stores. In the first two months of 2020, this retailer headquartered in Barranquilla exported from its modern distribution center wooden furniture for USD 527 thousand, a considerable drop of 48.7 percent when compared to the same period in 2019 (USD 2.1 million).

The United States was the main destination for Colombian wood furniture exports in the two month period. The segment’s shipments to the USA totaled USD 1.3 million, a drop of 22 percent compared to the same period of last year.

Panama, with a hard decrease of 63.5 percent and reaching USD 979 thousand (2019: USD 2.6million) was the second largest external market for Colombian wood furniture. Ecuador was the third largest market in the period with USD 427 thousand and a 98.4 percent growth.