The construction boom in the UAE is fuelling unprecedented growth of the country’s wood market, with the total trade of wood and wood products recording a remarkable 37.5 per cent jump last year over 2004, according to trade traffic statistics compiled by the Statistics Department of Dubai Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation (PCFC).

Total imports increased by 34.3 per cent to about Dh5.2 billion ($1.41 billion) while exports rose 69 per cent to touch about Dh336 million. Total re-exports increased from Dh1.2 billion in 2004 to Dh1.6 billion last year, a jump of 37.5 per cent.
“The spin-off effects of the frenetic construction activity in the UAE have sparked the growth of several related industries. The wood industry has been one of the most significant beneficiaries, with the construction boom fuelling an unprecedented demand for wood and wood products in the country,” says Adel Al Ashram, senior manager, department of statistics at PCFC.
Furniture and furniture parts formed the bulk of the total trade with a 26.9 per cent share, followed by sawn or chipped wood at 17.3 per cent and footwear soles at 12.9 per cent. Plywood and veneered panels accounted for 11.5 per cent, with other products making up 23.3 per cent.
China ranked first on the list of the leading wood and wood products exporters to Dubai with a 26.7 per cent share. Malaysia was second with a 9.4 per cent share, followed by Italy and Indonesia at 8.3 per cent and 7.9 per cent, respectively. Chile, with a 4.2 per cent share, came fifth on the list of top exporters.
“The remarkable rise in wood imports amply demonstrates this growth, and analysts suggest the upward trend will be sustained in the coming years. Dubai has been at the centre of activity, and the fact that re-exports grew 37.5 per cent in one year is an indication of Dubai’s growing prominence as a re-export hub,” concludes Al Ashram.