Technical report

Planted teak: global production and markets, with reference to Solomon Islands

Date released
01 January 2015
Publication Code
TR085
Authors

Stephen Midgley, R.T. Somaiya, P.R. Stevens, Alan Brown, Nguyen Duc Kien and Richard Laity

Overview

Teak is probably the most widely planted high-value timber in the world, with plantings in Africa, the Pacific, South America and throughout Asia. The global area of planted teak is approaching 7 million hectares. While some of these plantations belong to governments and large companies, a significant proportion belongs to smallholder growers.

This study of teak markets was conducted under the PARDI project entitled ‘Development of a market mechanism for teak and other high-value timber in the Western Province of Solomon Islands’. This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the markets for teak in India, China, Vietnam and Thailand, which collectively dominate the global market for teak timber. Understanding the nature of these markets and the specific characteristics of each country, including the way timber is measured and traded, is important in terms of assisting teak sellers to access these markets.