Page 18 - FDMAsia SepOct 2025

16 FOCUS SEP/OCT 2025 FDM ASIA | www.fdmasia.com

ITTO TROPICAL TIMBER MARKET REPORT

As the world continues to navigate through the impact of the US tariffs, countries are finding
new opportunities and challenges. ITTO tells us more about the latest in the market.

MALAYSIA that may lead to higher tariffs by October.
Malaysia's trade hit a record high in July 2025
Malaysia's international trade hit a record high in July 2025, Pioneer forest restoration project
but analysts cautioned that uncertainties from US tariffs and Face the Future, in collaboration with the Sabah Foundation,
a cloudy semiconductor outlook could weigh on momentum has been working on restoration and protection of the degraded
in the months ahead. forest in Sabah since 1992.
According to the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry Face the Future is a NGO based in the Netherland.
(MITI), July trade rebounded by almost four percent year-on- Through enrichment planting using indigenous species the
year to RM265.92 billion, the strongest monthly performance project aims to contribute to restoring the natural biodiversity

on record. Exports rose 7 percent to RM140.45 billion, the of Sabah’s rainforest.
highest since September 2022, while imports rose 0.6 percent The primary species selected for the project include
to RM125.47 billion. indigenous dipterocarps from the genera Shorea, Parashorea,
The timber industry, especially the furniture sector, is Dipterocarpus, Vatica, Hopea and Dryobalanops. These
apprehensive of recent news that US President has directed species are well-suited as pioneers in open and severely
his administration to investigate imports of furniture into US degraded areas.

©2023 Eric Petschek