Rubber Gives New Bounce to Economy

Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen announced plans Thursday to encourage rubber smallholdings in a bid to expand production as the country promotes the cash crop as the number two commodity after rice. Hun Sen said the government will support not only large-scale rubber plantations but also smaller producers. “We must continue to promote smallholding rubber plantations and promote rubber plantation on economic land concessions,” he said. Cambodian Rubber Department Director Ly Phalla told RFA that family-based rubber plantations have increased in Koh Kong, Sihanoukville, and Kampot provinces in the country’s s southwest. …

http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/rubber-04122012174332.html