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The nation's first Forest Product Festival in Binh Dinh Province next March would offer opportunities for domestic and international oganisations to develop long-term cooperation and investment, organisers said yesterday. The central coastal province of Binh Dinh is one of the nation's major producers of wood products.

Le Huu Loc, deputy chairman of the Binh Dinh Province People's Committee, said at a press conference that the event also aims to affirm and promote the role of the country's forestry sector in the socio-economic development process as well as in protecting the environment.

"The festival is an occasion to honour scientists, entrepreneurs, managers and people who have firmly promoted and contributed to the country's forestry sector," he said.

The event will be divided into two parts – festivals and ceremonies.

The first part will include the Timber and Forest Product Fair and Viet Nam Ecological Environment Show, seminars seeking measures to develop the forestry sector in a sustainable manner, trade exchange and promotions and a Forestry Beauty Contest. Ceremonies to honour best organisations and individuals in the forestry sector and acknowledge national forestry records will also be included in the first part.

The second part will have a thurification ceremony at the Quang Trung Museum, art performances and a traditional cuisine festival.

Vo Truong Thanh, general director of the Truong Thanh Furniture Corporation, said the festival will be an opportunity for local companies to display and promote their products as well as seek business partners.

Co-organised by the Binh Dinh's departments of Industry and Trade, Culture, Sports and Tourism Department, Agriculture and Rural Development, the Viet Nam Timber and Forest Product Association and Dat Vo Communication and Advertising Company, the Forest Product Festival will be held from March 26-29.

The country's woodwork industry and forestry sector has developed strongly in recent years in terms of number of enterprises, material facilities and technology, said Tran Duc Sinh, director of the Viet Nam Timber and Forest Product Association. As of 2007, the country had 2,526 wood processing companies, an increase of 2.8 times over 2,000, of which 90 per cent were private companies.

Export revenues from the industry has increased significantly in the past ten years. Woodwork exports increased from USD567 million in 2003 to USD2.4 billion in 2007 and USD2.8 billion in 2008. Woodwork export revenues topped USD2.1 billion in the first eight months of this year, a year-on-year increase of 37.6 per cent, meeting 67 per cent of the annual target, he said.

                                                                                                                    Source: VNS