Malaysian timber exports to UAE up in 2005 

Malaysia exported timber products worth $30.9 million to the UAE during first quarter of 2005. Overall exports to the UAE are expected to register strong growth during the current year, said Dato Ismail Awang, Chief Executive Officer of Malaysian Timber Council during a seminar held last week at Sheraton, Deira.


The seminar also highlighted the various uses of timber in the Gulf states.

"Malaysia's export of major timber products to UAE was worth $130.2 million, which account for 39 per cent of its total timber products exports to the West Asia in 2004. Main items exported to UAE during 2004 were sawntimber ($17.94 million), medium density fibreboard, or MDF ($29.50 million), plywood ($18.46 million) and wooden & rattan furniture ($63.13 million)," Ismail Awang said.

"UAE is the largest export market for Malaysian timber products and furniture in the Middle East," he observed.

"It is anticipated that there would be increased demand for building materials, including wood-based products and furniture in the future to meet the needs of its booming construction sector spurred by numerous infrastructure and building projects currently underway in the UAE as well as those planned over the next few years,'' he added.

The growing importance of the Middle East region for Malaysian timber products has prompted the Malaysian Timber Council (MTC) to set up a regional office in Dubai in January 1999. Through trade promotion activities undertaken by MTC's regional office in Dubai, the market position of Malaysian timber products in the Middle East is further enhanced.