Expo Madera Paraguay 2026 opened Thursday, September 10, at the Paraguayan Olympic Committee in Luque, with representatives from 17 countries and a focus on transforming forest production into higher-value industrial products. The sixth edition of the fair runs through Saturday, September 12, and brings together companies, producers, officials, specialists and investors.
Organized by the Paraguayan Federation of Timber Producers (Fepama) and the Center for Business Cooperation and Industrial Development (Cedial), the event carries the slogan “Expanding forests. Industries with value.” The program covers the entire chain, from forest management and plantations to technology, logistics, processing and market access.
Fepama President Diego Puente said the sector’s main indicator should no longer be only the planted area, but also its ability to turn that raw material into industrial exports. External sales of forest products reached US$101 million in 2025, while processed items — such as plywood, veneers, sawn wood and furniture — rose from 29% of the segment’s exports in 2020 to 46% last year.
Between January and July 2026, forest exports totaled US$59.9 million, up 12.7% from the same period in 2025. Plywood alone more than tripled during the period cited by Puente and now reaches 15 markets, led by the United States, the United Kingdom and Italy.
Industry and Commerce Minister Marco Riquelme highlighted that Paraguay already has about 400,000 hectares of forest plantations and argued that expansion should be accompanied by new factories. He said extensive livestock farming generates approximately one job per 1,000 hectares, while forest plantations generate between 80 and 100, in addition to skilled and decentralized jobs.
“Paraguay cannot become a nation that exports logs,” Riquelme said. The minister also mentioned negotiations with Japan to certify Paraguayan wood under the Japanese Agricultural Standard (JAS), a certification that could facilitate access to the Japanese market.
National Forestry Institute (Infona) President Carolina Goralewski said the fair represents the sector’s strategic growth, not merely a commercial showcase. The ceremony also brought together representatives of the ministries of the Environment, Public Works, Agriculture, Foreign Affairs and Economy, as well as companies and foreign delegations.
International participants include a mission of Swedish companies coordinated by Business Sweden. Torsten Ericsson, Sweden’s ambassador to Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, presented the experience of a country whose economy has used sustainable forest management for generations.
On Friday, September 11, the program includes discussions on the National Forest Policy, investment and new production hubs, with participation from SilviPar, Paracel and Felber Forestal. Presentations on Swedish technology, the Chilean forestry model and meetings with Chilean companies are also scheduled. On Saturday, September 12, the fair will discuss new markets and Japan’s potential for Paraguayan wood.