Exports of U.S. hardwood lumber & veneer to the MENA region grew by 11% in 2022 to reach USD 107 million

WoodShow started its journey in Dubai back in 2005 and since then it has established itself as the sole dedicated platform for the wood and woodworking machinery industry in the Gulf and wider MENA region. AHEC has participated in the Dubai WoodShow since its first edition, hosting American Hardwood Pavilions and bringing US hardwood exporting companies to the show.

AHEC reveals United States Department of Agriculture data that shows shipments of American hardwood lumber (sawn timber) to the Middle East and North Africa region reached a value of USD 81.98 million and a volume of 103,246 cubic metres last year, marking an increase of 9 percent and 13 percent respectively over 2021. Significant increases were seen in exports to the United Arab Emirates (up by 13 per cent in volume to 14,388 cubic metres), Turkey (up by 49 percent in volume to 24,165 cubic metres), Morocco (up by 16 percent in volume to 8,315 cubic metres) and Pakistan (up by 6 percent to 15,582 cubic metres). At the same time, direct exports of American hardwood veneers to the region grew by 20% over 2021 to reach a value of USD 25.2 million, with the majority shipped to the UAE, Turkey and Israel.

The MENA region remains a very important export market for American red oak lumber, which is the dominant species in the US hardwood forest and the most commercially-available. Last year, shipments of red oak lumber to the region reached 46,248 cubic metres, accounting for 45% of the total volume exported.

Confident of continued increased growth in demand for US hardwoods across the region, AHEC participated once again at the annual Dubai WoodShow 2023, which ran from 7 to 9 March at the Dubai International Exhibition and Convention Centre. During the three-day show, AHEC hosted a large American Hardwood Pavilion with individual booths occupied by 15 US hardwood exporting companies as well as the Indiana State Department of Agriculture. The 15 companies who participated in the pavilion were Allegheny Wood Products, Baillie Lumber, Boss Lumber, Cascade Hardwood, Cummings Lumber, Hardwoods of America, Hermitage Hardwood Lumber Sales, Kamps Hardwoods, Kennebec Lumber, Midwest Hardwood, Missouri Walnut, Nina Company, Oaks Unlimited, Penn-Sylvan International and Wheeland Lumber.

Roderick Wiles, AHEC Regional Director, says “we were happy to be back at the Dubai Woodshow this year, which proved to be very well-attended and extremely worthwhile for our members, who were able to meet new and existing customers from all around the Middle East and North Africa, as well as from Pakistan and even South Africa. We are confident of rising demand for US hardwoods in the MENA region and our industry is committed to supplying the markets needs on a reliable and consistent basis.”