Officials in the Philippines are warning consumers about Chinese imports of substandard plywood, which they say has been smuggled into the country and could be offered for sale by construction dealers at lower prices than locally produced boards.

According to the Local Price Coordinating Council (LCC) in Iligan City, in Lanao del Norte, the plywood is substandard and less durable than plywood made from falcatta wood in Mindanao.

The Chinese plywood has a thickness of 5mm and has failed to pass the Department of Trade and Industry – Bureau of Product Standards quality tests, the LCC said.

The illegal plywood can be identified by its rough and fibrous grain.