International rubber council to include Vietnam to strengthen its roles

BANGKOK, Sept 15 (TNA) – The International Tripartite Rubber Council (ITRC) will research on the application of natural rubber and support the participation of Vietnam to strengthen its roles. Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Chatchai Sarikulya hosted the annual meeting of the ITRC at Shangri-La Hotel. Participants included Mah Siew Keong, the Malaysian Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities and Enggartiasto Lukita, the Indonesian minister of trade. Gen Chatchai said that the ITRC which consisted of Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia came up with many plans for natural rubber development. They include researches and efforts to increase local demand for natural rubber and the exchange of their research results on the issue. Other plans concerned the development of the ITRC Regional Rubber Market (RRM) to promote the forward and direct purchase of natural rubber, a supply management scheme, an agreed export tonnage scheme, the reception of Vietnam which is an emerging rubber producer into the ITRC, and initiatives to increase the income of rubber growers, Gen Chatchai said. (TNA)