China exported 1.3 billion pieces of furniture in 2003, making it one of the world's biggest furniture exporters in terms of quantity, an official with China's State Forestry Administration said Sunday.

Lei Jiafu, deputy director of the administration, also reported the general situation of China's forestry industry at a national fair of forestry products being held in Heze City of east China's Shandong Province.

Lei said since China began opening up, China's forestry industry has been growing very fast, with its output value in 2003having reached 586 billion yuan (approximately 70.6 billion US dollars).

China is the world's biggest exporter of gum rosin, exporting 440,000 tons a year. China is world's second largest synthetic board producer, with annual output standing at 45.53 million cubic meters a year, Lei said.

According to Lei, forestry industry has become an important source of income of Chinese farmers. In 158 major counties in south China, more than 40 percent of farmers' income come from the forestry industry.

The fair of forestry products attracted nearly 1,000 businesses and relevant experts from 23 countries and regions in the world.