Vietnam continues to affirm its leading position in Southeast Asia’s wood processing and export industry, with export turnover in 2025 reaching $17.2 billion, accounting for about 63.7% of ASEAN’s total wood export turnover ($27 billion).

The growth momentum of the Vietnamese industry has been maintained in the first months of 2026. According to data from the Vietnam Customs, in June 2026, the country's export turnover of wood and wood products reached $1.55 billion, up 7.7% from the previous month and up 13.9% compared to the same period in 2025. Cumulatively, in the first six months of the year, the export turnover reached about $8.6 billion, an increase of 4.9% year-on-year.

By market, the United States remains the largest destination for Vietnam’s wood exports in the first half of this year, with turnover reaching $4.3 billion, accounting for nearly 49.7% of the country's total exports. However, exports to this market fell 6.5% compared to the same period in 2025, reflecting slow consumer demand recovery and the impact of trade barriers.

Meanwhile, many other markets recorded positive growth in the six- month period. Exports to China reached $1.3 billion, a sharp increase of 46.5%, raising its share to 14.9% of the total exports. The Japanese market reached about $1.1 billion, up 5.6%, maintaining stable growth thanks to consumer demand and advantages from free trade agreements. Exports to South Korea  reached $339.3 million, down 8.5% year-on-year, although signs of recovery appeared in June.

Beyond traditional markets, Vietnam’s wood and wood product exports also saw favorable growth in other markets such as the UK, Malaysia, Australia, and Canada.

Notably, exports to the Netherlands surged by 141.5%, while to Germany rose 46.9%, showing that there is still significant room to expand market share in the EU as businesses effectively leverage benefits from the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

Additionally, exports to the group of “other markets” increased by 17.4%, reflecting Vietnamese enterprises'  trend of market diversification, thus reducing their dependence on certain traditional markets and creating sustainable growth momentum for the wood industry in the future.

The Vietnam Timber and Forest Products Association forecasts that wood and wood product exports in the second half of 2026 are likely to continue their growth momentum thanks to gradually improving import demand in major markets, especially in Asia and Europe. New-generation free trade agreements continue to provide competitive advantages for Vietnamese goods, enabling businesses to expand market share in regions with high requirements for quality and technical standards.