VRA revealed it has kicked off a project promoting the sector’s compliance with the Vietnam Timber Legal Assurance System (VNTLAS) - a national system to ensure compliance with timber legislation at each stage of the supply chain, including harvesting, importing, purchasing, selling, transporting, processing, and exporting.
The project supported by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Vietnam Administration of Forestry aims to help rubber farmers and businesses to improve their capacity and meet VNTLAS’s requirements for sustainable export.
According to VRA, in 2019, Vietnam was home to 941,300 ha of rubber forests making up 51 percent of the country’s. Last year, rubber timber and woodwork products exported to more than 100 countries and territories earning more than US$2.38 billion from exports.
The contribution of rubberwood to the country’s total wood export is 22 percent. Satisfying VNTLAS’s requirements may greatly affects on rubber sector especially rubber farmers.
Experts in the field of rubber and forestry participating in the project will have assessment of challenges and difficulties as well as write guidance booklets for farmers and businesses.
Additionally, the project will help all parties relating to rubberwood supply chain as per VNTLAS’s requirements and issues relating to the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) between the EU and Vietnam.
