16 August 2013: The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) has launched the 1-15 August issue of the Tropical Timber Market (TTM) Report, highlighting the announcement of the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) to be signed between Indonesia and the European Union (EU) in September.

The report also notes decreases in Chinese demand for home furnishings and the increased interest of Indian tropical timber providers in owning plantations.

With regard to tropical timber markets, the publication reports that raw material prices in China dropped for the seventh week, while the laminated flooring sector in the EU is facing lower prices as a result of over production and increased competition. The EU construction sector trend is still negative despite the stabilization of overall economic conditions. Finally, the report states that furniture is the fastest growing manufacturing industry in the United States and that the timber sector in Brazil is slowing, and as a result, its share of exports is declining.

In addition to the headline stories, the report contains tropical timber market reports from Brazil, China, Ghana, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar and Peru. The report also recounts regional tropical timber market statistics from Central and West Africa, Europe and North America.

The TTM Report is published through the ITTO Market Information Service (MIS) with the aim of improving transparency in the international tropical timber market. [Publication: Tropical Timber Market Report – Issue 17 Number 15]