Russian wood businesses to seek partners in Vietnam

Hanoi (VNA) - A delegation of 16 wood businesses and producers from
Russia will visit Vietnam in early December to study the market and
seek partners.

The Industry and Trade Ministry's Trade Promotion Department said it will
coordinate with the Vietnamese General Consulate in Russia to organise a
trading session between Russian and Vietnamese businesses in Ho Chi Minh
City on Dec. 2.

The Russian businesses expect to cooperate with Vietnamese partners in wood
material, furniture and wood-based products, the department said.

In the first seven months of 2008, Vietnam 's wood exports to Russia
reached 2.1 million USD, said Huynh Van Hanh, deputy chairman of HCM
City 's Wood Industry and Handicrafts Association.

Russia is expected to become a promising market for Vietnamese wood
exporters with its total wood product consumption in 2007 reaching 4.5
billion USD. The figure is forecast to increase by 14.6 percent this year.

In the 11-month period of this year, Vietnam earned 2.56 billion USD
from wood export, a year-on-year increase of 19.9 percent.-Enditem