Thailand and Indonesia are the world’s top tworubber-producing nations who are facing similar situations, said Indonesian TradeMinister Zulkifli Hasan at a press conference following a meeting with ThaiHouse Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha. Problems come one after another from the falling prices of rubber to the commodity being subject to the EUDeforestation-Free Regulation (EUDR).
Zulkifli said rubber prices have declined sharply. The rubberleaf fall disease also dealt a fatal blow on the production, making itdifficult to propel prices to a remunerative level, the minister added.
Dropping prices might prompt rubber farmers to shift toother crops, resulting in a tight supply of natural rubber in thefuture, according to Zulkifli.
He called for collaboration between the members of theInternational Tripartite Rubber Council (ITRC), namely Thailand, Indonesia, andMalaysia. The council, which accounts for 58% of global rubberproduction, pursues fair and remunerative prices for the smallholders.
The ITRC also works alongside other rubber exporters,including Vietnam and the Philippines, to increase prices, he noted./.