SAMUT PRAKAN, 5 May 2004 – The Agriculture Ministry is keen on releasing 200,000 tons of rubber in stock in order to prevent an oversupply as the new rubber tapping season is approaching.
According to Deputy Prime Minister and Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Yukol Limlaemthong, the ministry is set to unload huge stocks of rubber products, adding that it is better that the rubber in stock be released now than later this month when farmers start tapping rubber again.
Even though rubber prices in the world market have been declining, the country needs to sell the product now in a bid to prevent rubber oversupply, Yukol admitted.
Another reason that the stockpiled rubber should be distributed now is that its quality, which deteriorates over time, will reduce its value, according to the minister.
