20,000-ha more of Viet rubber plantations in Cambodia ... courtesy of Hun Xen

Group continues planting rubber trees in Cambodia

February, 10 2010
VNS (Hanoi)

PHNOM PENH — The Viet Nam Rubber Group will invest US$55 million in growing another 20,000ha of rubber trees in five Cambodian provinces this year, said its Phnom Penh chief representative Leng Rithy.

The investment is part of the group's target of 100,000ha of rubber trees in Cambodia by 2012.

The group will grow the crop on 8,900ha of land in Kampong Thom, 7,500ha in Kratie, 1,500ha in Ratanakiri, 1,100ha in Stung Treng and 1,000ha in Preah Vihear.

Rithy said the plantations were expected to begin producing by 2017 with a total output of 150,000 tonnes increasing to 250,000 tonnes by 2020.

Cambodian Rubber Association president Mork Kim Hong said the association would boost Cambodia's economy and generate more jobs.

By the end of last year, Cambodia had 123,000ha of rubber trees, 50,000ha of which were yielding 50,000 tonnes of dry latex for export.