Main Story

DA eyes 450,000 metric tons rubber production in 2008
by Miko Jazmine M. Mojica

DA Usec. Jesus Emmanuel M. Paras delivers the keynote speech on behalf of Sec. Arthur C. Yap.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) targets to expand the country's natural rubber production to 450,000 metric tons this year as part of its 15-year plan to make the Philippines a major player worldwide.

This was announced by Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap during a press conference prior to the 4th ASEAN Rubber Conference which the Philippines hosted this year at the Crowne Plaza, Galleria, Ortigas, Pasig City on 5-7 June 2008.

Natural rubber is a lucrative market in the global rubber industry and is expected to sustain price increases in the next 20 years, according to the Philippine Rubber Industries Association (PRIA) which co-organized the event with DA.

"To meet the requirements of the future, as global consumption for natural rubber is expected to reach 31.8 million tons by 2020, the DA is focused on its the National Rubber Development Program (NRDP) to expand the current area planted to rubber totaling 92,000 hectares to one million hectares, and increase production and exports to $960 million all by 2020," said Yap.

BAR Director Nicomedes P. Eleazar (front row, third from left), poses with DA Undersecretary Jesus Emmanuel M. Paras (front row, center), other government officials, heads of private sector-led rubber industries, and heads of delegations from other countries who receive plaques of appreciation for taking part in the 4th ASEAN Rubber Conference.

The goal of DA is to replant 36,000 hectares with rubber this year. Among the provinces identified as viable areas for rubber production include Sultan Kudarat, Isabela, Maguindanao, Benguet, Camarines Sur, Palawan, Antique, Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, and Mindoro Occidental.

Currently, the Philippines has about 92,000 hectares planted to rubber that yielded more than 380,000 MT of natural rubber last year. Current farm gate price for locally unprocessed and processed rubber are P100 and P150 per kilo.

While the DA has earmarked P70 million this year to boost NRDP, it is mindful of challenges that the Philippine rubber industry must overcome in order to sustain its profit. Some of the most pressing challenges identified by DA are the issues on the nearing maximum productive years of existing rubber trees, high production cost because of rising prices of farm inputs, and difficulty for rubber farmers to access sustainable credits because of the long gestation period of rubber trees.

Moreover, the DA identified the need to strengthen the national research, development, and extension system to further develop the industry. The Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR), which is specifically tasked to lead the research and development component of NRDP and give support to its extension activities. BAR is currently in the thick of supporting the technology commercialization of 10 recommended rubber clones in the country through technology promotion and demonstration in suitable rubber areas nationwide.

BAR Dir. Nicomedes P. Eleazar (3rd from right) poses with BAR staff during the 2008 ASEAN Rubber Conference 2008. At the back is BAR’s booth featuring the R&D component of NRDP.

Given the lucrative market offered by the global rubber industry (unprocessed and processed rubber are sold at P100 and P150 per kilo locally at farmgate), the DA is mindful of challenges that the Philippine rubber industry must overcome in order to sustain its profit. Some of these were enumerated by DA Usec. Jesus Paras when he delivered the message of Secretary Yap as keynote speaker in the ARC 2008. Thus:

• most of our existing trees are now either senile or nearing their maximum productive years;
• most rubber plantations are in Mindanao, which are burdened with security and peace and order issues;
• growers are burdened by high production expenditures due to rising costs of labor and other inputs;
• difficult access to sustainable credit and loans; and,
• the need to strengthen the national research, development and extension system from which future advances and development must be anchored.

The Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) is specifically tasked to lead the research and development component of RDP and give support to its extension activities. BAR is currently in the thick of supporting the technology commercialization of 10 recommended rubber clones in the country through technology promotion and demonstration in suitable rubber areas nationwide.