The Vietnam Timber and Forest Product Association (VIFOREST) has announced that a wooden furniture fair will be held from September 25 to October 1 in Bien Hoa city, Dong Nai province, the Government News has reported.

With the motto “Turning challenges into opportunities”, the fair is expected to create opportunities to boost output in the country’s timber production and manufacturing sector.

It is designed to help businesses in the industry diversify output, expand business opportunities, increase revenue, and reduce the risk of a dependence on exports.

According to figures from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam’s wood industry raked in $8.95 billion in export turnover in the first eight months of 2023, down 25.1 per cent year-on-year.

With a population of 100 million and rapid urbanization, Vietnam has an estimated 70-80 million sq m of housing built each year, which boosts demands for furniture. However, the domestic wood market remains neglected by local manufacturers.

Over 10,000 timber products are expected to go on display at some 1,000 booths at the fair. There will also be seminars on solutions for new materials, technologies, and applications in the timber production and manufacturing sector.