Ivory Coast exported 194,787 metric tons of rubber in January-November, up 8,103 tons or 4% on the 186,684 tons shipped in the same period last year, official port data showed Monday.
Industry officials in charge of promoting rubber production are aiming for 300,000 hectares of rubber farms by 2018.
The Association of Rubber Professionals, or Apromac, is subsidizing the cost of rubber trees so they are 150 CFA francs ($0.33) rather than XOF200-XOF300.
"Even though cocoa prices are really high at the moment, people are still planting rubber because farmers like the monthly income," said Joseph Desire Biley, head of the Rubber Development Fund, or FDH. "With cocoa you're only paid twice in the year."
Since March, 2,700 hectares have been planted under the subsidy, with 8,000 planned for 2010.
Follows a table of rubber exports in metric tons, with in the last two columns the season's cumulative totals.
| | Nov 09 | Nov 08 | Cum 09 | Cum 08 |
| Rubber | 21,296 | 18,210 | 194,787 | 186,684 |
The port of San Pedro exported 11,890 tons and Abidjan exported 9,406 tons. Last year, the ports exported 10,161 tons and 8,049 tons respectively.
Ivory Coast is Africa's leading rubber producer, and the world's leading cocoa producer.
(Source: irco.biz)
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