On the morning of September 30th, at the Hai Au Hotel (Quy Nhon Nam ward), the National Center for Agricultural Extension, in coordination with the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Gia Lai province and the Office of Sustainable Forest Management Certification, organized a workshop on developing large-timber plantations with sustainable forest management certification to meet EUDR requirements.
Attending the workshop were representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment; research institutes, certification organizations, wood processing businesses, cooperatives; and more than 100 forest farmers from Gia Lai, Quang Ngai and Dak Lak provinces.
According to statistics, Vietnam has approximately 4.7 million hectares of planted forests, of which the area of newly established large timber forests accounts for about 101% of the total production forest area. By mid-2025, the whole country will have about 680,000 hectares of planted forests certified under sustainable forest management standards (VFCS/PEFC, FSC), equivalent to 151% of the total area.
Many models of linkages between businesses, households, and cooperatives are being implemented in Quang Tri, Hue, Gia Lai, and Dak Lak, and are initially yielding positive results.
However, in reality, many difficulties remain. Approximately 90% of planted forest area is currently owned by households, mostly on a small scale of less than 4 hectares, making it difficult to apply standardized procedures. The cost of obtaining sustainable forest management certification is still high, cultivation techniques are limited, while the market for consumption is not yet stable.
In particular, the EUDR's requirement for transparency in timber origin is putting significant pressure on the market, as this regulation mandates that timber products exported to the EU must have detailed traceability data.
Specifically, wood products imported into this market must demonstrate that they did not cause deforestation after December 31, 2020. All wood production, harvesting, and processing activities must comply with local laws. Importing businesses are responsible for submitting explanatory reports and storing data for at least 5 years.
This regulation presents both challenges and opportunities for Vietnamese timber to access high-end markets if it meets the standards.
The presentations at the workshop also identified the target of reaching 1 million hectares of certified large timber forests in Vietnam by 2030. To realize this goal, it is necessary to focus on developing a cooperative-enterprise-household model, forming a closed value chain.
Simultaneously, the application of digital technology, blockchain, and IoT in data management and retrieval is considered a key solution. Financial support policies, especially regarding certification costs and the establishment of green credit funds, need to be improved. Furthermore, training, agricultural extension, and communication efforts to raise awareness among people involved in forest planting are also emphasized.
At the workshop, delegates made several recommendations, including: the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment should issue detailed guidelines on wood traceability and establish a mechanism to support certification; local authorities should plan concentrated raw material areas and promote linkages between cooperatives and businesses.
Furthermore, processing and exporting businesses proactively sign off-take contracts and apply modern management technologies; forest-planting households and cooperatives actively participate in linkage models and adhere to sustainable management processes; and the agricultural extension system acts as a bridge in training and technology transfer.
The workshop provides an opportunity for localities, businesses, and people to share experiences and discuss solutions for the sustainable development of large-timber forests, contributing to enhancing the position and value of Vietnamese timber in the international market, especially in demanding export markets such as the European Union.
PHU HOA
(https://gialai.dcs.vn/kinh-te/-/view-content/413909/phat-trien-rung-trong-go-lon-co-chung-chi-quan-ly-rung-ben-vung-dap-ung-yeu-cau-eudr)
