India will be hosting the the third Annual Rubber Conference, the 33rd Assembly and other committees of the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countres (ANRPC) here for five days from today.
The Rubber conference will be held on Oct 6, which will be inaugurated by Union minister of state for Agriculture, K V Thomas. Le Quang Thung, Acting Chairman Vietnam Rubber will preside over the function, Rubber Board chairman, Sajan Peter, told reporters here.
Prof Djoko S Damardjati, Secretary General ANRPC will deliver the keynote address.
The theme of this year's confernce is 'Natural Rubber Industry in the New Decade Opportunties, Challenges and Strategies'. Papers would be presented by 10 member countries in three sessions, he said.
About 400 delegates including rubber Industry players, policy makers, researchers and analysts are among those who would be participating.
The first session focusing on the theme 'Outlook for Global Supply and Demand of Rubber' will be chaired by Dr Asoka Nugawela, Director, Rubber Research Institute of Sri Lanka, Prof Djoko S Damardjati, Secretary General ANRPC and Jom Jacon, Senior Economist of ANRPC will jointly present the paper titled 'Global Supply and Demand of Rubber'.
Another paper 'Outlook for Global Demand for Natural and Synthetic Rubber' by Dr Stephen V Evans, Secretary General International Rubber Study Group, Singapore.
The focus of the second session will be on 'Natural Rubber Industry in ANRPC member Countries: Present Status, Opportunties, Challanges and Strategies for the Future'.
Another session on 'Developments in Rubber Market and Downstream Sectors in Natural Rubber Producing Countries' will also be held besides a panel discussion of 'Supply and Demand of Rubber in the new Decade-Emerging issues and Strategies'.
ANRPC is an intergovernmental organisation having 11 mebers presently including China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanak, Thailand besides India.
The committee's aim is to improve productivity of rubber holdings, reduce cost, increase value addtiion in downstream rubber sector among others.