30 April 2013: The latest issue of the Tropical Timber Market (TTM) Report from the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) suggests that the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry may lift its 2001 log export ban to encourage investment in industrial plantations. The article suggests that current market prices for plantation logs are lower than the regional average because they can only be sold on the domestic market, leaving little incentive for investment in or establishment of forest plantations. While the original ban was intended to help curb illegal logging, Indonesia now has a rigorous timber legality verification system (SVLK) in place, according to the article.

The April issue of the biweekly TTM report also included news from other parts of Asia, as well as Brazil, the US, and the EU. A section on Malaysia reports that China continues to be Malaysia’s largest trading partner. The article also states that Malaysia’s Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities expects to conclude negotiations and sign a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) with the European Union (EU) by the end of 2013, and that Malaysia has made progress outlining its legality assurance system for wood exports to the EU.

Other articles in the issue focus on topics such as: the Asian Development Bank’s optimistic view of prospects for Myanmar; fear among Indian handicraft producers of losing the EU market; challenges in the Chinese market for Brazilian makers of luxury furniture; expanded efforts in China to eliminate illegal lumber trade; the decline of European laminate flooring sales in 2012; and the growth in US furniture and wood product manufacturing in March 2013. [Publication: ITTO Tropical Timber Market Report, 16th – 30th April 2013]