Japan import of Malaysian plywood recovers strongly

Ta Ann Holdings Bhd plywood operation in Sarawak.

KUCHING: Malaysia is the top supplier of tropical hardwood plywood to Japan, which has reported a strong recovery in imports to near pre-Covid-19 level.

Last year, Japan raised imports of hardwood plywood to more than 1.85 million cubic metres (cu m), up 12% or 204,600 cu m from about 1.65 million cu m recorded in 2020. Last year’s shipment by Japan was only 28,500 cu m shy of 2019’s imports of 1.88 million cu m.