THE Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region has maintained its position as an important destination for American hardwoods with more than $43.22 million worth of hardwood lumber and veneer imports entering the region during the first half of 2012, according to the American Hardwood Export Council (Ahec), the leading international trade association for the American hardwood industry.

Of this total, exports of American hardwood lumber reached a value of $31.10 million and a volume of 44,444 cu m, marking an increase of 20 per cent and 13 per cent respectively over the January to June period of 2011. In addition, direct shipments of US hardwood veneers to the Mena region during the period reached a total value of $12.12 million, rising by 14 per cent in comparison to the same period last year.

“These statistics have been taken from the latest data released by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and account for direct shipments to the Mena region. However, it is important to note that American hardwood veneers are shipped to the region from Europe and China while veneers are also produced in the region – notably in Turkey – from imported American hardwood logs. The USDA data shows that US hardwood log exports to the Mena reached a value of $13.05 million and a volume of 20,514 cu m during the same period,” said Roderick Wiles, AHEC director for Africa, Middle East, India and Oceania.

In value terms, the UAE remained a key destination in the Mena region with US hardwood lumber exports rising by 13 per cent in volume to 7,681 cu m and by 21 per cent in value to $6.50 million.

It is important to note, however, that as much as a third of the volume of American hardwood shipped to the UAE is actually destined for other markets in the neighbouring Gulf, across the Strait of Hormuz or down the east coast of Africa, according to the AHEC.