The Kingdom exported 248,535 tonnes of rubber products earning more than $397 million in the first three quarters of 2024, according to a report released by the General Directorate of Rubber on Friday.
According to the report, Cambodia exported 248,535 tonnes of rubber latex in the first nine months of 2024, an increase of 5,881 tonnes, equivalent to 2.42 percent compared to the same period last year.
“Cambodia earned over $397 million from the export of rubber products from January to September in 2024, an increase of 23.44 percent compared to the same period last year,” Khun Kakada, Acting Director General of the General Directorate of Rubber of Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), said in the report.
He said that as of September 2024, the price of rubber was $1,694 per tonne, an increase of $38 per tonne, equivalent to a 2.32 percent rise compared to the same period last year. The average export value of rubberwood in September 2024 was $289 per cubic meter.
Cambodia has so far planted rubber trees in a total land area of 407,172 hectares, of which the trees on 320,184 hectares, or 78.6 percent, are old enough to be tapped. The area of agro-industrial rubber is 226,840 hectares or 55.71 percent and the area of family rubber is 180,332 hectares or 44.29 percent.
Lim Heng, Vice President of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce (CCC), told Khmer Times yesterday that rubber prices are improving in 2024, with increases in both exports and domestic production as well as higher profits for family rubber.
“The price of rubber has improved and we hope to increase demand in our country through the three tire factories, with the possibility of adding more tire factories in the future. As a result, demand for rubber will increase,” he said.
Regarding the celebration of the 100th anniversary of old rubber and the first national rubber tapping contest, Heng said that the Ministry of Agriculture and rubber investment companies have cooperated to organize this event without any changes.
“The ceremony was held to show the people of Cambodia about the age of rubber cultivation in Cambodia is up to 100 years and will also show the same at the international level. It’s not easy to find a tree that’s 100 years old,” he added.
“It is also a matter of pride for Cambodians that we have a 100 years old rubber tree to make the national and international public aware of Cambodian rubber.”
It should be noted that the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the oldest rubber tree in Cambodia and the rubber tapping contest will be held in November this year in Chup Rubber Plantation in Tbong Khmum province.
The plantation has the largest number of surviving old rubber trees in the world which there are 448 trees on an area of about 14 hectares and is playing an important role in the search for rubber varieties that have high growing conditions and yield in line with Cambodia’s agricultural environment.
