Major rubber producers reaffirm commitment<\/p>\n
SINGAPORE (Reuter): Major rubber producing states reaffirmed
\ntheir commitments to a producer-consumer price pact and voiced
\noptimism that a new accord would be ratified in the near future.<\/p>\n
The Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC)
\nsaid in a statement that Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and
\nThailand were committed to the International Natural Rubber
\nAgreement (INRA).<\/p>\n
The four ANRPC members are among the producer members of the
\ncurrent five-year pact, administered by the International Natural
\nRubber Organization (INRO). The current pact runs out in
\nDecember.<\/p>\n
Major rubber producers and consumers hammered out a new four-
\nyear successor agreement in Geneva last February but no countries
\nhave signed the pact so far.<\/p>\n
Countries have until Dec. 28 to sign the agreement and must
\nratify it within a year.<\/p>\n
\"The ANRPC member countries urged the importing and other
\nnatural rubber exporting countries to take a similar positive
\nattitude towards the ratification of the agreement,\" the ANRPC
\nstatement said.<\/p>\n
The current pact comprises six producer states -- Nigeria,
\nIvory Coast, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Indonesia, and 21
\nimporting countries, led by the United States, the European
\nUnion, China and Japan.<\/p>\n
Rosediana Suharto, head of the Indonesian delegation to the
\nANRPC, dismissed talk that producers would not back the new pact
\nand said Indonesia was in the process of signing it.<\/p>\n
\"It is not true that the producers do not want the new
\nagreement,\" she told reporters.<\/p>\n
\"We are not adverse to the agreement,\" said Ahmad Zubeir
\nNoordin, the chief Malaysian delegate.<\/p>\n
But he declined to say whether Malaysia would sign the new
\nINRA. \"The present one will not expire until Dec. 28 and it's not
\nChristmas yet,\" she said.<\/p>\n
A source in the Thai delegation said his government had agreed
\nto sign the pact. Officials from Sri Lanka said on Wednesday
\nColombo had also agreed to sign the new pact.<\/p>\n
Failure<\/p>\n
Officials said failure by major rubber exporters and consumers
\nto sign the treaty by Dec. 28 would seriously harm the future of
\nthe commodity pact. P.O. Thomas, a senior official at INRO, said:
\n\"If they don't sign before December 28, that means they are not
\ngiving the pact a chance to survive.\"<\/p>\n
Meanwhile delegates to the meeting said rubber production by
\nthe seven-member Association of Natural Rubber Producing
\nCountries (ANRPC) is forecast to rise to 5.24 million tons in
\n1996 from 1995's 5.09 million.<\/p>\n
The ANRPC forecast members' production at 5.35 million tons in
\n1997, 5.91 million in 2000 and 6.36 million in 2005, one delegate
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
It forecast output by Thailand, the world's top grower, at 2.4
\nmillion tons in 2000 from 1.8 million in 1995.<\/p>\n
Indonesian production may rise to 1.8 million tons from 1.44
\nmillion over the same period, while Malaysian output is expected
\nto stagnate at 1.2 million tons.<\/p>\n
Singapore is not a rubber producer but a major trading and
\ntransshipment center for Southeast Asian rubber.<\/p>\n
Delegates said the anticipated 1995 production of 5.09 million
\ntons was a 6.0 percent jump over 1994's 4.80 million.<\/p>\n
The significant rise reflected the buoyant rubber market in
\n1994, which pushed prices to eight year highs.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/major-rubber-producers-reaffirm-commitment-1447893297",
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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