Vietnam's acacia wood production status

• Context 

Vietnam is now among the top nations in the world for producing and exporting wooden furniture and other wood goods. The wood industry in Vietnam consumes a tremendous quantity of wood every year, mostly from domestic plantations and imported wood.

   According to statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, there were around 4.4 million hectares of planted forests in the world in 2020. The most popular tree species for modern planted forests is acacia. The General Department of Forestry projects that in 2020, acacia covered 2.35 million hectares or more than 53% of Vietnam's total planted forest area. 

   Over 50 additional tree species, including rubber, pine, mangrove, and cashew, cover the remaining area (47%) of the land. Because this species is preferred in fields of woodland, the acacia area has been steadily growing during the past ten years exporting processed goods. Acacia wood is now conducted as wood chips to make paper, pulp, pellets, plywood, construction furniture, and notably export furniture.

2. Vietnam's distribution of planted forests

   Acacia is the species that occupies the largest area in the total planted forest area of Vietnam. With 0.77 million hectares, or 33% of the total area of acacia plantations in Vietnam, the Northeast region now has the biggest acacia acreage in the nation. The South Central Coast (30%) and the North Central Region (3%), respectively, come next. The smallest acacia growing regions are in the Southeast and Red River Delta.

   Seven provinces and cities with the largest area of acacia plantation are Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Quang Ninh, and Tuyen Quang, Nghe An, Binh Dinh, and Thai Nguyen. The acacia area of these provinces accounts for 46% of the total area growing acacia in Vietnam. 

      Source: Research team compiled data from General Department of Forestry

   The area of planted woods as production forests is expected to grow by roughly 340,000 acres per year by 2020 or 2030, according to the vision for 2050. The Strategy also suggests ways to do this, such as legislation to stimulate investment in planted forests, establish linkages, develop better types, enhance planting and maintenance practices, etc.

Linkage models have been established and are becoming more widely available to produce a source of certified acacia wood. Examples of these models are those of Woodsland Companies, Hao Hung, and Scancia Pacific. These elements have recently been the main driving forces behind the area's growth and an increase in the availability of acacia wood.

3. Conclusion

   The most significant source of domestic wood supplies in Vietnam nowadays is acacia wood. Currently, a lot of items, notably wood products for export, utilize this supply of wood. This low-risk source of raw wood is mostly supplied by households that have been given state-allocated land for plantation timber development. Acacia plantations are important for the growth of the wood sector, but they are also important for the livelihoods of many communities in hilly areas.

Compared to other plantation wood species available in Vietnam, acacia has the fastest rate of growth. This variety of wood produces a staggering amount of logs every year—nearly 50 million m3 in total. The market demand for this type of wood, the procedures and regulations that support the growth of plantation forests, and advancements in science and technology for planting, caring for, and managing the lands all contribute to a rise in production.

   In summary, there is a lot of potential for Vietnam's acacia species to be utilized in the future, both in terms of increasing wood quality and output as well as increasing economic efficiency for each unit. Wood raw resources are transformed into high-value finished goods.