BANTING: Malaysia hopes to become a bigger player in the international furniture market with timber products exports targeted to hit RM19 billion by 2025.
Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin said to achieve this target, the ministry was committed to assisting the timber industry to be more pro-active and competitive.
She said Malaysia was now the 10th largest furniture exporter in the world, with exports hitting RM10.41 billion last year.
Speaking to reporters after visiting the Dynamic Furniture Industries (M) Sdn Bhd and holding a discussion with the Malaysia Furniture Council here today, she said that among the country's major export markets were the United States, Japan, Singapore, United Kingdom and Australia.
Zuraida said there was great potential for the furniture industry this year, with growing global demands following the decision to move towards the Covid-19 endemic stage by many nations.
She said the local furniture industry could fulfil market demands as long as its need for workers was met.
"This is because the rapid growth of the furniture industry depends heavily on skilled local and foreign workers.
"In this aspect, I appeal to those in the industry to follow strictly all guidelines on the standards set by the government to ensure the wellbeing of their workers," she said.
To further enhance global demands, she said a ministerial team that includes her was constantly working to promote the nation's commodities such as timber products through a series of promotions abroad.
The ministry was also organising the Malaysia International Agri-commodity Expo and Summit (MiACES) from July 26 to 28 to help further promote such products.
Apart from that, various programmes have been implemented by the agencies and councils under the ministry to assist the furniture industry.
Among them are the Wood Design Incubator Programme led by the Malaysian Timber Council (MTC) which aims to develop more wooden furniture for the international market.
Zuraida said MTC also introduced the Export Assistance Programme (EAP) last year following the Covid-19 pandemic.
EAP offers incentives to timber industry players to help them with their sea transportation costs.
