Agriculture Ministry seeks new rubber trading partners

BANGKOK, June 25 (TNA) -- The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives has implemented an active marketing approach to promote Thailand's rubber products and seeking new markets to solve overproduction and plummeting rubber prices. Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives Lertviroj Kowattana said that to increase Thailand's market for its rubber products, the ministry have invited 70 rubber operators and foreign envoys from 20 countries, especially those from new markets such as Mexico, India and Iran, to visit rubber production and processing operations in Krabi and Trang provinces. A conference aimed at promoting and developing new markets for Thai rubber is also being scheduled from July 28-30 at the Dusit Thani Beach Resort in Krabi. In the conference, the ministry will tell about the government's rubber policy to develop Thai rubber which includes finding alternative uses for rubber and creative processing to create innovative new rubber sourced products. Also the foreign envoys have been informed that on June 30 the Rubber Authority of Thailand will be organising a business matching event to develop ties among local rubber cooperatives and producers with foreign rubber companies. Mr Lertviroj said that the ministry hopes that these events will raise the awareness and confidence of foreign rubber companies of the quality of Thai rubber especially among the increasing number of new emerging markets. (TNA)