New momentum for forestry production in Tuyen Quang

Amid growing global demands for timber origin transparency as a “passport” to access demanding markets such as the EU, the United States and Japan, the issuance of forest plantation area codes is creating new momentum for Tuyen Quang’s forestry sector. Beyond enabling real-time forest management, plantation codes lay the foundation for traceability, enhance product value and promote digital transformation in forestry production.

In 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (now the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment) approved the implementation of the Vietnam Legal Timber Traceability System (iTwood). Tuyen Quang is among five provinces selected to pilot the issuance of plantation area codes under this system.

Yen Son Forestry Company Ltd. is one of the first units granted plantation codes. A hybrid acacia forest lot of over one hectare in Team 821, Trung Son Commune, has been geo-referenced on the iTwood system and certified by the provincial Forest Protection Sub-Department. The code enables the company to publicize its production process and facilitates exports to strict markets such as the US, Japan and the EU.

Acacia plantation of Yen Son Forestry Company in Trung Son Commune granted a plantation code.

After two years of implementation, more than 5,272 hectares of planted forests in Tuyen Quang have been registered for codes, including 2,350 hectares by Son Duong Forestry Company Ltd., 1,278 hectares by Yen Son Forestry Company and 1,190 hectares by Tuyen Binh Forestry Company, along with over 500 hectares owned by households in key forest communes.

According to provincial officials, plantation codes help enhance transparency, support timber and forest product exports, and contribute to the goal of building Tuyen Quang into a high-tech forestry hub in northern Vietnam. The iTwood platform provides real-time supply chain management, assigning QR codes at each stage from planting and harvesting to trade, ensuring the legality of timber.

With approximately 190,000 hectares of production forests and an annual output of around one million cubic meters - accounting for more than 23 percent of total output in the Northern Midlands and Mountainous Region - Tuyen Quang is one of the country’s major timber suppliers. Authorities view plantation coding as an urgent step to strengthen brand recognition and competitiveness, especially as traceability becomes mandatory under regulations such as the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).

As the province accelerates digital transformation, the expansion of electronic plantation codes is expected to modernize forest governance, foster sustainable forestry development and reinforce Tuyen Quang’s position as a leading timber production center in the digital era.

Trang Tam