Vietnam to Continue Expanding Rubber Area: MARD
Vietnam will continue expanding rubber area even though rubber prices have sharply decreased in the past months, Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) confirmed.
At conference on rubber plantation in four regions of southeastern, central highlands, central and northwestern Dec 10 in Binh Duong province, the MARD said despite falling rubber prices, the country still makes profit from rubber.
Le Quang Thung, chairman of the Vietnam Rubber Group (VRG) said rubber prices are averaging at VND38 million (US$2,235) a ton in 2008, benefiting Vietnamese companies more than VND10 million a ton.
The chairman said the prices will continue dropping in 2009 and 2010, but noting that even with price of VND12 million a ton, it is still profitable.
The conference agreed to give priority to growing 100,000 hectares of rubber trees in central highlands in order to create job to local ethnic minority people.
Vietnam now has 522,000 hectares under rubber cultivation with average productivity of between 1.5 tons per hectare. It had planned to increase the area to 700,000 hectares in 2010. (The News)
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