18 Dec 2012
ERJ staff report (BC)
Abidjan - Ivory Coast expects to produce 300,000 tonnes of rubber in 2013 as it plans to raise funds for developing new production zone, reports Baudelaire Mieu for Bloomberg.
Output this year was lower than expected, at 230,000 tonnes from a forecast of 250,000 tonnes said Albert Konan, executive secretary of the Rubber Development Fund. He offered no explanation.
In 2013, the fund plans to sponsor 5,000 rubber farmers and create new plantations spanning about 20,000 hectares.
The fund, which is managed by the national natural rubber trade association Apromac, seeks to boost production to 600,000 tonnes by 2020 if it can attract donor finance for its plans.
Ivory Coast is currently the world's largest cocoa grower.
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