The Myanmar rubber market is heavily dependent on China because about 80 per cent of the raw materials of Myanmar rubber are being exported to China, it has been learnt.
Myanmar also exports rubber to India and Japan. Some rubber growers who can afford to cultivate new, highyield rubber varieties fell their old trees,which cannot result in a high yield, said the rubber growers.
“We replaced old rubber trees with high-yield rubber varieties. Currently, we have to invest both time and money in rubber cultivation. China is the main buyer. To penetrate into the world market, Myanmar’s rubber is required to systematically produce from farm to producing latex. Besides, some rubber trees are forced to cut down to be used as firewood,” said U Aung Min, a rubber farm owner.
The old rubber trees can produce about 700 pounds per acre a year whereas the highyield rubber trees can produce about 2,000 pounds per acre a year. The high-yield rubber trees can produce latex after seven years of cultivation.
There are over 1.5 million acres of rubber plantations in Myanmar. Over 80,000 tonnes of rubber are yearly manufactured as an industrial crop. The rubber growers are always faced with difficulties when the rubber prices decline because of the world economic climate, said the rubber farm owners from Beelin Township.
There are rubber farms which do not produce latex because of the decreased price in the rainy season, said one grower.
Source: Global New Light of Myanmar
