Malaysia, however, has for the past three years maintained a total export value of US$32 million of hardwood from the US.

"You can see the competition, Vietnam is growing," said John Chan, regional director for Southeast Asia and Greater China of the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC).

With Vietnam fast becoming Malaysia's biggest competitor, Malaysia needed to upgrade its wood-based furniture products for the export market, he said.

The Malaysian furniture industry is currently ranked number one among Asean countries with a total export value of RM7 billion (US$1.97 billion) as at end-2006.

Chan said this during his opening remarks at a furniture seminar entitled "Specifying American Hardwood for Furniture Manufacturing" organized by AHEC here Friday.

Malaysia has to find niche markets including higher quality markets in the US and Europe by improving the quality and recognition of its furniture overseas with hardwood, said Jonathan Gressel, agricultural counselor for Malaysia and Singapore from the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

"You can't live on rubberwood alone," Gressel added.

Chan also said that the value of Malaysia's furniture products would increase if Malaysian rubberwood was complemented with varieties of hardwood.

Rubberwood remains the main source of materials for Malaysian furniture production.

Source: Bernama.com