Plans to Upgrade Rubber Quality for Export

The production of rubber lacks quality control in Myanmar at present, making it difficult to obtain the higher prices in the world market, according to sources from the Myanmar Rubber Planters and Producers Association (MRPPA).
“Since the high quality rubber cannot currently be produced within Myanmar, the price it is sold for when exported abroad is low,” said U Khaing Myint, secretary of MRPPA. He added that the amount of high-quality rubber being produced within the country had doubled from last year and that now, an estimated 20 percent of the rubber produced is of high quality.
He added that while the current equipment being used is sufficient to produce the high-quality rubber, many local entrepreneurs are not trained sufficiently to bring the rubber up to the required standards.
Earlier this year, the EU lifted all remaining sanctions against Myanmar, meaning that the number of countries Myanmar could export its rubber to increased. However, U Khaing Myint said that European customers only purchase the international-standard rubber, so it is crucial for Myanmar to ensure better production of the product.
Myanmar exports its RSS1, RSS3, RSS5 and MSR20 rubber materials, with the bulk of exports being sent to China, India, Malaysia and Singapore. In the 2012-2013 fiscal year, 90,000 tonnes were exported, bringing in $260 million, and MRPPA aims to increase the export to 950,000 for 2013-2014.