No shortage of wood, furniture makers told
No shortage of wood, furniture makers told
The Lao Furniture Association has advised wood and furniture businesses that they won't have to wait to obtain the raw material they need after the Prime Minister stressed the need for good quality products.
Furniture makers need not worry about obtaining the wood they need as there is plenty of wood available that has been impounded by the government after trees were felled illegally, according to the association.
There have been concerns about the availability of wood after the government recently banned the export of all wood products.
Lao wood and furniture businesses should now prepare to buy wood from the industry and commerce sector in each province.
Various provinces have called for bids for the purchase of wood after the Ministry of Industry and Commerce ordered the auction of illicitly acquired timber that has been seized by the government.
Association members can obtain the necessary information from the association, the Prime Minister's Office, and the industry and commerce sector.
The association stressed that most importantly all furniture makers should focus on skills development and market expansion in order to grow their business and be more competitive.
Wood businesses around the country should cooperate with the association to strengthen their competitiveness and improve Lao wood and furniture products to meet the high standards demanded by the market to promote growth of the furniture industry, association President Mr Khamphay Somsana said.
Cooperation provides opportunities for networking between different actors in the wood production sector as well as people searching for an entry point into the industry, which all helps to boost product quality, he added.
Greater cooperation will enable Lao wood businesses to operate with government support and in line with the regulations, Mr Khamphay said.
In recent years, wood and furniture businesses struggled to obtain sufficient raw materials as there was no wood quota provided by the go vernment.
The shortage of raw material in Laos has been a major problem for furniture makers with some forced to buy wood from sawmills at higher cost, while some are buying from timber yards instead of using timber supplied under government-allocated quotas.
The association is encouraging its members to take this opportunity for business development and benefit from the wood that is currently available for sale.
Business development provides more revenue for the government's budget and creates job opportunities for local people, so growth is to be encouraged.
