Rubber prices likely to rise in 2nd half of this year

BANGKOK, July 18 (TNA) - The Ministry of Agriculture expects that para rubber prices and export volumes will increase in the second half of this year as rubber growers are facing falling para rubber prices. The Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE) expects that para rubber growers will produce about 4.3 -4.4 million tonnes of para rubber this year and para rubber export volume will be about 3.6-3.7 million tones, close to that of last year. It said the para rubber prices remain low but higher than that of last year. This year, the third class raw rubber sheet costs 53 baht 15 satang per kilo while it was 48 baht 39 satang last year. The OAE expects more para rubber products will be released to the market in the second half of this year and para rubber farmers will earn more income from higher export volume. (END)