Efforts to support smallholder rubber plantations against the backdrop of declining natural rubber (NR) prices was the top agenda of the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) Executive Committee’s meeting hosted by Malaysia Thursday.
The Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities said the meeting, held in conjunction with the Special Ministerial Level Session of ANPRC, gathered nine out of 11 member representatives to also discuss measures towards ensuring remunerative and stable prices for natural rubber.
“Discussions on the coordination and marketing of natural rubber, promote technical cooperation among members and promote and cooperate in any matter towards strengthening the global rubber industry,” the ministry said in a statement.
The 11 ANRPC members include Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam, Singapore and China which accounted for 92 per cent of the global production of natural rubber in 2014.
Singapore and China did not attend the meetings.
Meanwhile the Special Session of ANRPC Assembly at Ministerial Level, to be held tomorrow, will be attended by five ministers from Malaysia, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.
Top on the agenda of the special session would be the consideration of the report and recommendations of the executive meeting and ministers meeting.
