The Kingdom’s rubber exports saw a 24 per cent increase over the first 11 months of last year compared to the same period in 2018, data from the General Directorate of Rubber obtained by The Post on Tuesday showed.

Pol Sopha, the director-general of the General Directorate of Rubber, who declined to comment on the reason behind the jump, told The Post on Tuesday that the Kingdom exported 233,677 tonnes of rubber with an export value of $311 million during the period.

The data also showed that 434,552ha of rubber had been planted in the first 11 months of last year, with more than 230,000ha of rubber having been harvested.

In a bid to increase rubber quality and market prices, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in November last year urged the industry to apply for quality certification.

The General Directorate of Rubber Administration and Legal Department director Khoun Phalla told The Post in early December that the market value of exports would drop if the sector did not register.

He also warned that the rubber industry and market prices may be negatively impacted after Thailand followed through with plans to boost its natural rubber exports.

According to a Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries report, Cambodia exported 210,000 tonnes of rubber worth $300 million in 2018.