Exporting Plywood Veneer from Vietnam

Vietnam possesses abundant forest resources from natural and planted forests. With a strategy of greening vacant land and barren hills, Vietnam mainly cultivates rubber and acacia trees, serving as raw materials for exporting wood chips, wood pulp, and plywood veneer. Plywood veneer, also known as peeled veneer or rotary-cut veneer, is being processed by numerous enterprises for export to the United States, Europe, China, South Korea, Malaysia, and India...

Current Situation of Plywood Veneer Export from Vietnam The primary input material for plywood veneer production is log veneer. According to statistics, the export volume of log veneer reached 1.5 million m3, equivalent to approximately 150 million USD in the first six months of 2022. China dominated the market, accounting for 98% of the export share, with the remaining being distributed among countries such as Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Taiwan.

Presently, the government encourages domestic enterprises to process plywood veneer from log veneer and then export it to increase the export trade value for the entire wood industry. The FOB export price of log veneer fluctuates between 90 and 150 USD per m3, while the price of plywood veneer is in the range of 200 to 300 USD per m3.

According to information from the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), Vietnam's plywood veneer exported to the U.S. could face anti-dumping duties of around 183% and countervailing duties ranging from 25% to 195% if the origin of the raw materials is found to be from China (as reported by trithucvn website). This is a crucial matter for plywood veneer export enterprises in Vietnam as the U.S. conducts origin investigations.

Analyzing the overall market, the U.S. stands as the largest importer of Vietnam's furniture, with wood products accounting for 65%. In 2021, the U.S. imported approximately 14 billion USD worth of furniture, with Vietnam contributing 9 billion USD. Plywood veneer alone accounted for 522 million USD.

Plywood Veneer Produced in Vietnam HS Code for Plywood Veneer Under group 4412, specific HS codes are applied depending on the characteristics of each type for export. The HS codes include 4412.3100, 4412.3300, 4412.3400, and 4412.3900.

Legal Basis for Exporting Plywood Veneer

• Circular No. 01/2012/TT-BNNPTNT: Regulations on forestry documentation.
• Circular No. 40/2015/TT-BNNPTNT: Amendments and supplements to Circular No. 01/2012/TT-BNNPTNT on forestry documentation.
• Document No. 07/VBHN-BNNPTNT (2016): Integration of legal forestry documentation and forest inspections.
• Circular No. 15/2018/TT-BNNPTNT: Issuance of HS code list for sector-specific goods in the scope of management of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Is Plywood Veneer on the list of prohibited exports? According to Article 7 of Circular No. 04/2015/TT-BNNPTNT dated February 12, 2015, products processed from wood for commercial purposes, including round wood and sawn wood from domestic natural forests, are prohibited from export. This excludes wood processed from legally confiscated and seized wood under the current regulations of the State and the cases specified in Article 8 of this Circular, as well as the wood specified in Appendix I of CITES that are harvested from natural sources.

Customs Procedures and Documentation for Plywood Veneer Export

For plywood veneer export, the following documents need to be prepared:

• Sales contract
• Stamped confirmation list of forest products from the local Forest Protection Department, District Forestry Departments, Sub-departments, etc.
• Forest product declaration list (prepared by the enterprise) as per Form 01 in Circular No. 01/2012/TT-BNNPTNT
• Commercial invoice
• Packing list
• Export commission contract (if any)
• Contract with the forest owner/forest processing facility regarding wood purchase
• Plant quarantine certificate
• Fumigation certificate
• Bill of Lading
• Certificate of origin, CO (if required by the importer)

Labels and Packaging for Plywood Veneer Export from Vietnam Plywood veneer is usually packed on pallets and securely fastened with steel straps to prevent shifting during transportation by road and sea. Each pallet is labeled with product name, description, weight, quantity per pallet, detailed information of the manufacturer, and country of origin. As the product is wood, it undergoes fumigation, and the fumigation seal is affixed to the wood pallets.

Exporting Plywood Veneer from Vietnam - Are there any taxes? As per the export-import tariff for 2022, plywood veneer falls under the category of 0% export tax.

If you are interested in veneer and plywood imports from Vietnam, please kindly contact us via Mobile/Whatsapp/Zalo: +84 975300787 for consultation and quotation. We are always ready to serve you. Thank you very much!

Best regards!

(Updated until the end of 2022).