WASHINGTON -- U.S. imports of wood furniture for the first quarter of 2006 totaled nearly $4.373 billion, an increase of 7.8% over the first quarter of 2005. U.S. exports of wood furniture, meanwhile, increased by 13.7% to $358 million. Still, the U.S. wood and upholstered furniture and component trade deficit climbed to $4.015 billion, an increase of 7.4%.

First quarter highlights included:

* China posted a 21.1% gain and widened its lead as the largest source nation of U.S. wood furniture imports and accounted for 47.5% of the first-quarter total.

* Imports from Canada (+0.3%) and Mexico (-1.6%) remained flat.

* Italy tumbled from third to seventh as first quarter exports to the United States declined 30.9%.

* Malaysia (+15.6) succeeded Italy as No. 3 and Vietnam (+10.1%) slipped past Indonesia (+6.2%) to become the fourth largest wood furniture import source.

* Brazil dropped to ninth behind Thailand (+4.6%) in recording a 24.5% decrease.

* The Top 10 sources of U.S. wood furniture imports represented 91.2% of the first quarter total. -- Rich Christianson

Top 10 U.S. Furniture Import Sources
(in $ millions for Jan-Mar 2006)
1 China 2,079
2 Canada 637
3 Malaysia 236
4 Vietnam 208
5 Indonesia 206
6 Mexico 189
7 Italy 172
8 Thailand 113
9 Brazil 83
10 Philippines 64

Top 10 Total 3,987
All Others 386
Total Imports 4,373
Total U.S. Furniture Exports 358
U.S. Furniture Trade Deficit 4,015