Min of Defense to utilize local rubber to alleviate oversupply

0
1518

Bangkok – The Ministry of Defense will use rubber to improve roads and ponds around the country to help alleviate the rubber oversupply due to lower global demand and the use of cheaper synthetic products.

Acting Governor of the Rubber Authority of Thailand (RAOT), Yiam Tawarorit, held discussions Friday with the Ministry of Defence, which has received over 2.6 billion baht from the central budget to support the utilization of rubber in government agencies. The ministry will use the rubber to renovate roads under its jurisdiction which include 6,831 asphalt roadways totaling 1,500 km, and to construct 60 small ponds for storage of agricultural water. Both programs are expected to utilize up to 30,000 tons of rubber and will be implemented between July and September this year.

The Ministry of Defense will purchase concentrated latex from private companies that had purchased fresh latex from farmers or farmers’ organizations certified by the RAT. Overall, the program will support the utilization of up to 200,000 tons of para rubber this year.