RUBBER PRODUCTION
China
is now the 5th world's largest NR producer after Thailand,
Indonesia, Malaysia and India. In 2002, the total area
of rubber plantation in China is about 625,600 hectares.
Most of them located in Hainan, Yu Nan and Guang Dong.
The total production in 2002 was 527,000 tons. However
there are also a few plantations in Guang Xi and Fu Jian
provinces.
There
are only 800,000 ha. of land in China that is suitable
for rubber planting. Due to environmental limitations,
some of these suitable lands are not allowed to be developed.
Therefore, there are not much potential in expanding rubber
plantations in China. To increase rubber production, about
300,000 ha of rubber trees averaging 35 years age in Hainan
wll be replanted. The total production capacity of NR
in China is, therefore expected not more than 750,000
tons per year.
