Rubber farming facilities should focus on obtaining sustainability certificates to increase added value, experts have said. (Photo: baodantoc.vn) HCM City (VNA) - Sustainable latex production is important for Vietnam’srubber industry, and the country should focus on getting rubber plantations toobtain certifications on sustainability, experts have said.
Vo HoangAn, Deputy Chairman and General Secretary of the Vietnam Rubber Association,said Vietnam produces around 1.1 million tonnes of natural rubber every year,with 60 percent coming from small farming households, and imports another halfa million tonnes from Cambodia and Laos annually.
Vietnamis the third largest exporter of natural rubber in the world, with around 80 percentof its output exported and China being the biggest buyer.
Theremaining 20 percent is used for making products such as tyres, shoe soles andsport equipment.
An saidin recent years global demand has been shifting towards sustainable,environment-friendly rubber products. Products that are certified assustainable could bring higher added value and enter more markets around theworld, he added.
Nguyen VinhQuang, a research associate at Forest Trends Vietnam (a non-profit focusing onconserving eco-systems) said most of the rubber collection occurs via traderswho connect households with processing companies.
Most ofthe output is from small farming areas without certification forsustainability, which makes their added value limited. Sustainable rubberfarming is still a relatively new idea for most households.
The VietnamRubber Association is working to develop a Vietnam rubber brand, provideguidelines for sustainable natural rubber production and ensure internationalcooperation and trade.
Dr ToXuan Phuc, senior analyst at Forest Trends in Australia, said there are manyinternational standards for sustainability, several of which are easy to obtainfor Vietnam’s rubber industry.
Sostrategies to develop the rubber industry sustainably should start with easierstandards and ones that receive greater priority in global markets, andgradually move up to the harder ones, he said.
Bothlarge companies and small farming households need to contribute to theindustry’s sustainable development, he added.
HuynhNhat Tan, deputy head of business division at the Lien Anh Rubber Company, saidcompanies need to help rubber farmers understand the importance and benefits ofcomplying with standards and help farmers with initial investment and by buyingtheir produce.
Nearly one millionhectares around the country are planted with rubber trees, and around 70 percentof them are available for tapping latex./.
VNA
