INTERNATIONAL TROPICALTIMBER ORGANIZATION

A mature Gonystylus bancanus (Ramin) reaching
more than 30m in Pahang, Malaysia.
Photo: K.A.Hamzah/FRIM

Provides comprehensive
information about market conditions
to promote international trade.

Improves market transparency
to help countries develop asustainable and profitable tropicaltimber trade.

Strengthens tropical timber
producers’ capacity in tradedevelopment and marketing.

INCREASING
TROPICAL TIMBERPRODUCERS’
CAPACITY TO
DEVELOP &APPLY MARKETINTELLIGENCE &IMPROVING MARKET
TRANSPARENCY BY
ENHANCING
INFORMATIONSHARING.

International markets for timber and non-timber
forest products (NTFPs) are undergoing significant
changes due to shifting global demand and supply
patterns, and evolving market requirements. Whiletransparency is essential for promoting international
trade in sustainable timber and other forest products,
inadequate market intelligence and gaps in marketing
capacity present significant challenges for timber
producers in tropical regions and can severely hinder
their ability to remain competitive.

ITTO PROVIDES THE WORLD’S
MOST COMPREHENSIVE SOURCEOF DATA & STATISTICS ON
TROPICAL TIMBER PRODUCTION& TRADE THROUGH ITS BIENNIAL
REVIEW & ASSESSMENT OF
THE WORLD TIMBER SITUATION1
WHICH IS DISTRIBUTED TO
OVER 3,000 PEOPLE & RECEIVESOVER 6,000 HITS ON ITTO’SWEBSITE ANNUALLY.

Market information provides the foundation for thesustainable development of tropical timber industries,
including emerging markets for NTFPs. Regional
market knowledge among potential exporters islimited, however, highlighting the need for assistancein developing intra-regional trade in tropical timber.
With more comprehensive and accurate market
knowledge, local and regional timber producers arebetter placed to access new opportunities. For
example, a recent analysis of the intra-African trade
revealed that less than 10% of the region’s imported
timber products (an estimated value of US$4.4 billion)
originated from the region itself, suggesting major
opportunities for the expansion of timber trade
between African countries. Similar opportunities for
intra-regional trade also exist in the Asia-Pacific andLatin American regions.
CASE STUDY: GUYANA
Located on the north eastern seaboard of SouthAmerica, an estimated 80% of Guyana’s landmass iscovered by forests. These large areas of intact forest
ecosystems not only have a very high conservation andecological value, but they are also economically vitalwith roughly 3.5% of Guyana’s GDP coming fromforest-based activities.

Forestry professionals undergoing training at the Forestry Training Centre
Incorporated (FTCI), Guyana. Photo: Ramon Carrillo

1
2

www.itto.int/annual_review/www.itto.int/market_information_service

INTERNATIONAL TROPICAL TIMBER ORGANIZATION

One major challenge facing the Guyana Forestry
Commission (GFC) is an underdeveloped market
information system, which hinders efforts to promotetrade resulting in a loss of revenue from both domestic
and foreign trade. To address this issue, ITTO, inpartnership with the GFC, implemented a project thatsuccessfully developed a framework to strengthenmarket and trade data collection. The second phaseof the project is now underway and will establish
technical capacity (from human resources to hardware
and software implementation) through local training
to sustain the project’s outcomes.
By enhancing market information systems in Guyana,
ITTO is helping to create a more diverse forestry
market and trade environment that will pave the way
for a sustainable and dynamic forest industry,benefiting both local and global stakeholders.

PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
ITTO’s Trade and Market Transparency (TMT) Programme is designed to assist member countries to sustainably
realize the potential of their tropical forest resources. By strengthening tropical timber producers’ capacity intrade development and marketing, and filling the gaps in market transparency, TMT is helping producer countries
develop a sustainable and profitable trade in timber and timber products.
The TMT Programme implements projects and activities proposed by stakeholders in ITTO member countries.
Supported by a streamlined and effective funding process, forest communities, civil society organisations,
government agencies, donors and the private sector are invited to submit project proposals, which are thenassessed and prioritized to determine those that will create dynamic partnerships among stakeholders.
1) Strengthening Market Information Systems.
• Develop market information systems and provide training on statistical andeconomic information, market intelligence and marketing.
2) Improving Market Transparency.
• Strengthen the capacity of, and cooperation among, national customs authorities.
• Build capacity to monitor existing markets and promote trade in tropical timber fromsustainably managed and legally harvested sources.
3) Facilitating Market Access and Trade Development.
• Develop product standards, grading rules and quality control systems for tropicaltimber products and NTFPs.
•Improve communication regarding the environmental credentials of tropical timberand timber products.

THE TROPICAL TIMBER MARKETREPORT (TTM)2 IS DELIVEREDEVERY TWO WEEKS TO 12,000
SUBSCRIBERS & PROVIDESTIMBER MARKET TRENDS &TRADE NEWS FROM AROUND
THE WORLD, INCLUDING
INDICATIVE PRICES FOR OVER400 TROPICAL TIMBER & VALUEADDED PRODUCTS.
Community-owned wood industry in Oaxaca, Mexico.
Photo: Tetra Yanuariadi

THE TRADE AND MARKET TRANSPARENCY (TMT) PROGRAMME DELIVERS BENEFITS FOR:
GOVERNMENT& THE PUBLIC
SECTORDONORS & THE
INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY

FOREST
DEPENDENTCOMMUNITIESTHEPRIVATE SECTOR

IMPACT: Enhances exports
through improved market
access and competitiveness,
expands market information toguide policy decisions andstrengthens human resources.

IMPACT: Supports improved
transparency and efficiency
in the sustainableinternational trade oftropical timber and forest
products through a unified
and collaborative approach.

IMPACT: Helps reduce rural
poverty and improve income
and employment
opportunities throughincreased market accessand strengthened market
information andtransparency of the tropicaltimber value chain.

IMPACT: Improvestransparency and market
information systems,
strengthens marketingstrategies and skills, andincreases sales.

INTERNATIONAL TROPICAL TIMBER ORGANIZATIONWHAT WE
CAN ACHIEVEPARTNERWITH USThe Trade and Market Transparency (TMT) Programmepresents a vitally important opportunity to ensure thatthe international trade of tropical timber and NTFPs
effectively supports the sustainable management oftropical forests. Improving the flow and harmonizationof information between producers and consumers
will assist producer countries in developing effective
policies for growing markets for tropical forest
goods and services and remaining competitivein the global economy.

To successfully deliver the Trade and Market
Transparency (TMT) Programme over the next
three years, ITTO requires an additional US$3.5
million per year. This will deliver significant
improvements for tropical forest industries
in Africa, Asia and Latin America by enhancingtransparency and competitiveness in global
forest product markets.

Fostering transparency in the market also ensuresthat community enterprises, governments andindustries can make informed choices and supports
producers in applying the most effective production
and distribution methods while securing fair prices
for their products.

Port of Yokohama, Japan.
Photo: Alastair Sarre

The TMT Programme is just one of ITTO’s key
areas of work and we need your support to deliver
it successfully. Download our Strategic Action Planfor 2013-2018 at www.itto.int/publicity_materials,
which outlines ITTO’s programmes of work andopportunities for donor support. For more
information please contact tp@itto.int.
By partnering together, we can help sustain
the world’s tropical forests. Our work over thelast 30 years has reduced forest degradation,
improved industry governance and enhanced
market transparency but there is still much toachieve. To learn more about ITTO, the Trade andMarket Transparency Programme and how to
support our projects, visit us at www.itto.int.

WHY ITTOTO IMPROVE TRADE AND
MARKET TRANSPARENCY?
International TropicalTimber Organization (ITTO)
International Organizations Centre, 5FPaciﬁco-Yokohama 1-1-1 Minato-Mirai,
Nishi-ku Yokohama, 220-0012 Japan
T +81-45-223-1110
F +81-45-223-1111
E itto@itto.int

Since 1989, ITTO has been instrumental in improving
market transparency and promoting the sustainable
trade of tropical timber and NTFPs. By regularly
issuing reviews and reports and developing an online
database to share vital information with stakeholders,
ITTO has increased transparency in the global tropicaltimber market.
ITTO has an unparalleled track record of improving
forest information systems at the national level withover 26 projects delivered in Africa, Asia and Latin
America. ITTO’s projects have strengthened forest andmarket information systems to ensure that a greater
proportion of traded forest resources are legal,sustainable and profitable.