The Philippines’ furniture industry is calling on the government for help, warning that a continuing shortage of wood is threatening its existence.
The Chamber of Furniture Industries of the Philippines (CFIP) says prices of wood supplies have grown while furniture companies’ inventories are being depleted, despite the lifting of the total ban on logging.
CFIP says about 364,000m3 of wood is needed annually for the nation’s 15,000 furniture makers.
The chamber wants to see the government allow timber harvests on private plantations and finish its ckecks on logging permit holders.
CFIP says export earnings from furniture were about US$300m in 2004, while about 1.8 million people are employed in the industry.
