Bangladesh to Double Rubber Output by 2020

Industry professionals in Bangladesh say that the country has targeted a doubling of rubber production over the next decade, in order to meet potential export figures. The current capacity stands at 30,000 tonnes, though at present the estimate for 2008 stands at 16,000 tonnes from the 1,300 nationwide rubber gardens.

Local news sources report that the country’s commerce adviser, Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman said on Monday that Bangladesh had started to trade rubber with Turkey, which is trying to get certificate for Bangladesh’s rubber from Bridgestone. “Bridgestone’s certification may take the Bangladeshi rubber industry to a new height,” claimed Hossain Zillur.

Bangladeshi rubber’s big advantage is its comparative inexpensiveness: 110 Bangladeshi taka (0.90 pounds sterling) will buy a kilogram of locally produced rubber, whereas its imported counterpart will set you back nearly double that amount. Owners of rubber gardens are currently producing the product with lay farmers, claiming that the government has not helped to formalise the development of the industry. Motahar Chowdhury – vice president of the Bangladesh Rubber Garden Owners’ Association said, “Government has neither set up any administrative wing to help the sector, nor formulated any policy for the industry.” He was critical of the country’s governments for what he sees as gross negligence in failing to entering the lucrative export market until now.

It seems, however, that Bangladesh is finally ready to add its rubber to the worldwide market.