BANGKOK, 12 September 2013 The Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives believes that Thailand can be the para rubber center of ASEAN given its logistic advantages, while insisting the government should not intervene in the rubber market.
During a seminar on the future of Thai para rubber industry, Agriculture Minister Yukol Limlamthong said he believed in Thailand’s capability in becoming the para rubber hub of the region, citing its geographical advantage which easily connects the country to other ASEAN members.
To become ASEAN’s rubber center, he said Thailand had to improve its production and quality of rubber and focus more on processed rubber goods which would in turn create an added-value to the products. He also cited tax relaxation policy as one of the factors that will trigger the rubber industry and attract more investors to the country.
He also mentioned about the current price conflict, saying the government should not intervene in the rubber market, but will instead take care of the price situation according to reality in order not to distort the market mechanism.
The minister said he had assigned the Office of the Rubber Replanting Aid Fund to increase the bargaining power of rubber growers by encouraging them to form a group and set domestic prices for Thai rubber in the world market.
