The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has witnessed a significant increase in timber imports. The reports stated that between January and July 2015, the consumption of softwood imports increased by 24% compared to the same period in 2014. Specialists attributed this increase to the growth in the construction sector and the demand for home wooden furniture in the Kingdom, and the study estimated the Kingdom's imports at 1.07 million cubic meters from European and American exporters.
The study estimated the Kingdom's imports at 1.07 million cubic meters from European and American exporters. <Dawood Al-Shizawi, CEO of Strategic Exhibition and Convention Organizing Company, said: “This increase indicates the strong demand witnessed by the Saudi construction sector and other home and office furniture sectors. The national demand for wood and wood products has witnessed a significant increase to exceed SAR 11 billion. Al Shizawi explained that the future outlook indicates that the Kingdom will need more than 5 million new homes in all cities by 2020, which doubles the consumption of wood.
