Malaysia’s furniture manufacturers were urged to work together and promote Malaysian furniture in the world to hit targeted export earnings of RM53 billion (US$12.9 billion) by 2020, said Douglas Uggah Embas, minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities.
Chua Chu Chai, chairman of Export Furniture Exhibition 2016 (EFE), suggested Malaysian furniture manufacturers explore markets for solid wood furniture in China as consumers there appreciate solid wood furniture. Domestic consumption in China is expected to grow by 5-6% this year.
Malaysia’s timber and timber product exports rose by 6.3% to RM21.7 billion (approx. US$ 5.3 billion) in 2015 from RM20.4 billion in 2014.
