VIETNAM - Vietnam earned about USD 1.52 billion from wood and forestry exports in March, raising the value in the first three months of this year to over USD 3.94 billion, up 41.5% compared to 1Q-2020.

Of which, exports of wood and wooden products reached USD 3.7 billion, up 41.5%, and exports of non-timber forestry products reached US$243 million, up 38.4%.

According to the Vietnam Administration of Forestry, major export markets for Vietnamese timber and forestry products were the US, Japan, China, the EU, and the Republic of Korea, accounting for up to 90% of the total value.

Meanwhile, the import value of wood and wooden products was estimated at USD 227 million in March and USD 709.6 million in the first quarter, up 31% over the same period last year.

The domestic forestry sector ran a trade surplus of over USD 3.23 billion in the three-month period, up 43.4% year-on-year.

The Vietnam Administration of Forestry also reported that localities nationwide planted 31,498 hectares of forest so far this year, up 16% as compared with the same period last year.