Autonomous region sees bright future in rubber

COTABATO CITY—The soaring demand for rubber worldwide prompted officials of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to set their sights on vast tracts of land that are suitable for rubber tree growing.

While rubber plantations in neighboring central Mindanao thrive well, the fertile slopes of Upi town in Maguindanao have become the focus of Acting ARMM Governor Ansaruddin Adiong’s agro-forestry development program.

Adiong, at the launching of a rubber-seedling nursery of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in the mountain village of Kibucay on Saturday, said the global demand for rubber is “so high” because of the equally high demand for automotive tires.

“In China alone, the rubber demand is expected at 2.89 million tons this year,” Adiong said, citing a recent China Rubber Industry Association report.

He said large tracts of land are available in ARMM for conversion into rubber plantations that could benefit hundreds of people in terms of jobs. Charlie C. Señase, Inquirer Mindanao