Bosnia and Herzegovina imported more wood than exported it

The export of the wood sector of BiH last year amounted to about 1.8 billion KM and is 10.7 percent higher than the previous year, while the import was about 587.15 million KM, which is 27.4 percent more than to 2021, shows the analysis of the Foreign Trade Chamber of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The biggest increase in exports was achieved by forestry products, boards and veneers, construction carpentry, while a decrease in furniture exports was recorded by 13.5 percent, amounting to about 683.85 million KM.

The Chamber states that around 92 percent of the total export of the wood industry in 2022 was realized on the top 20 export markets, among which the most important are Germany, Croatia, Italy, Serbia, Slovenia, Austria, the Netherlands and France, reports Nezvisne novine.

In addition to the EU countries, it was also exported to China, Albania, Turkey, Switzerland, Great Britain, as well as the countries of the Western Balkans.

When it comes to the import of the wood industry, the analysis pointed out that all product groups achieved growth last year, and the largest was forestry products, panels and veneers, sawn timber and construction carpentry.

Wood sector products are mostly imported from Croatia, Serbia, Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Germany, Hungary, Romania, Turkey, Italy, Montenegro, Ukraine, Russia, China, Belgium, Slovakia, Bulgaria, the Netherlands and North Macedonia.

The Chamber states that the vision of the wood industry should be to reach and maintain a leading position as an exporter of products of a higher level of finalization in the region, and they remind that the wood industry of BiH has many years of experience in exporting products of higher stages of processing to EU countries and other markets.

“This is confirmed by the export results so far, the international certificates that the companies have, the prestigious awards received for design and product quality at international fairs,” the analysis stated.

In the analysis, it was pointed out that the wood industry of Bosnia and Herzegovina is already recognizable by the export of final products, mainly massive furniture based on domestic beech, which makes it competitive and less dependent on imports.

The Chamber emphasized that the goals of the timber sector in BiH should be to increase competitiveness on international markets, long-term stability of the functioning of the value chain and the development of the timber industry, and the development of human resources according to the needs of the timber sector, reports Srna.

“The realization of these goals will make it possible to improve the image of the wood industry and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the world, increase the foreign exchange inflow through greater export of products with higher added value, restructuring the situation in wood processing and raising the level of competitiveness of companies, as well as sustainable management of forests and more rational use of raw materials, as well as greater employment of professional workforce predominantly in companies with a higher degree of finalization”, the analysis pointed out.