Market and product

Rubbertree plantation owners and businesses are protecting rubber treesrather than cutting them down to cultivate other crops, despite fallinglatex prices, the Central Highlands Steering Committee reported.

Apartfrom calling for increased protection of rubber trees, localauthorities proposed plantations apply intercropping to increase incomesand enrich the soil.

The Central Highlands province of Dak Lakhas the third largest area of rubber tree coverage with 39,600ha,following Gia Lai and Kon Tum with over 120,000ha and 75,500ha,respectively.

The locality has made plans to plant rubber tree onan additional 27,000ha, increasing the total area of rubber treecoverage in the province to 66,800ha by 2020.

The province is alsotrialling new rubber tree varieties and is applying advancedtechnologies in planting and nurturing rubber trees, as well as inprocessing latex, in a bid to improve quality and productivity, andexpand consumer markets.

The Central Highlands comprise the fiveprovinces of Lam Dong, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Dak Nong and Kon Tum, with atotal rubber tree coverage of 278,564ha.