The Thai Rubber Association organized the annual dinner Centara
Grand Hotel, CentralWorld, Bangkok on Friday, 12 May 2017 and also organized a
golf tournament at Riverdale Golf and Country Club, Pathum Thani. In addition,
TRA also hosted the 18th Economic and Statistic Committee Meeting
and the 18th Technical Committee on Contract Matter Meeting under
the framework of ASEAN Rubber Business Council on 13 May 2017.
The annual dinner was numerously attended by over 1,000
guests, including delegates from various government agencies, private
organizations, dignitaries and rubber businessmen in the country and from
abroad. It was our great honour to invite Mr.Lertviroj Kowattana, Deputy
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to participate and
deliver an opening speech. The key address is as follows.
Natural Rubber is one of the most important
agricultural products of Thailand and the world. Thailand became the world’s
biggest producer and exporter in 1991. In 2016, Thailand produced 4.16 million
tons of natural rubber. We exported 3.6 million tons, generating export revenue
of over US$ 5,000 million.
However, Last year has been the most challenging time
for rubber industry. Rubber price dropped sharply in February 2016 to US$ 1.2
per kilogram amid strengthening dollar and slowing global economy.
Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives charged Rubber
Authority of Thailand duties to solve the problem of falling rubber price
through three main approaches, namely 1. Increasing productivity and quality;
2. Processing rubber for value addition; and 3. Promotion of domestic
consumption through the following projects: 1. Cultivation reduction by cutting
old rubber trees by 64,000 hectare per year; 2. Technology transfer to farmers
to enhance the efficiency and quality of cultivation, tapping and harvesting;
3. Agricultural credit support scheme for rubber collection; 4. Agricultural
credit support scheme for rubber processing; 5. Loan forbearance for
agricultural institutes to reduce their obligations during falling rubber price
situations; 6. Credit support scheme for entrepreneurs; 7. Credit support
scheme for rubber product manufacturers; and 8. Public tyre manufacturing
project branded as TH-TYRE – a project to boost optimal domestic consumption of
rubber through manufacture of quality tyre certified by ISO and Thai Standard
Organization with the property of elasticity, durability and affordability.
In response to NR falling prices, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia
under the framework of International Tripartite Rubber Council (ITRC) had a
meeting in December 2016 and agreed that export quota restriction measure
resulted in rubber price to climb up to 3 dollar per kg. Additionally, the
three countries agreed on promotion of domestic consumption and replantation.
TRA Annual Dinner 2017 received a huge success
contributed by cooperation from government sector and both domestic and foreign
private sectors, especially cooperation and spirit of TRA executive committee
members and TRA staff. On behalf of the Thai Rubber Association, I wish to
thank everybody concerned. I consider this special occasion a big step towards
closer relation in the rubber industry among the producing and the consuming
countries.