The Hindu Business Line : Malaysia calls for steady rubber price

MALAYSIA on Thursday called upon other members of Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) to team up for maintaining rubber prices at remunerative levels.

"It is very important that rubber prices should remain at remunerative levels to ensure that smallholders continue to produce and at the same time, the consumers would be assured of a fair price," said Dr Michael Dosim Lunjew, Secretary General of the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities, Malaysia.

In his keynote address at an international seminar organised by ANRPC here, Dr Lunjew said one of the key factors that improved natural rubber prices had been the International Tripartite Rubber Council (IRTC), formed by Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.

"In order to further enhance this cooperation, it would also be timely that other ANRPC members, apart from Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, consider joining the ITRC," he said.

Founded in 1970, ANRPC comprises India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. ANRPC countries today produce around 86 per cent of the world's natural rubber.

Dr Lunjew said the future of rubber small holders and the natural rubber industry depends on continued and collaborative efforts for maintaining rubber prices at remunerative levels.

At attractive prices, smallholders will be motivated to increase production and also to carry out replantation, thereby taking advantage of the latest high yielding clones, he said.

Earlier, speaking at the seminar, Mr Philip T. Pondikou, Secretary-General of ANRPC, said rubber-producing countries should not be complacent in view of the favourable market conditions for natural rubber.

"Currently, we are in a period where natural rubber prices are in the so-called comfortable zone. But some three years ago, prices were languishing at extremely low levels that caused much hardship to the small farmers," he said.

ANRPC members should therefore actively seek ways of infusing efficiency in production, processing and marketing of natural rubber, Mr Pondikou said.

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