Back at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center from to March , The th International Plastics & Rubber Technologies and Materials Exhibition for Vietnam organized by Informa Markets Vietnam in conjunction with Messe Düsseldorf Asia promises to provide a potential trading platform for plastic and rubber manufacturers and processors to introduce products, build brand image, expand new cooperation opportunities as well as identify economic potentials in the market of Vietnam.

The second chart shows a steep recovery in the natural rubber price in the last quarter of and start of . The reason behind this price increase are supply disruptions in Thailand. Massive and widespread floods in the southern part of Thailand, where most of the nation&#;s rubber cultivation takes place, had a big impact on the natural rubber supply (both production and distribution). Severe drought was also cited a reason for weak rubber production in Thailand.

Another problem was that the USA removed Indonesian-made tires from its generalized system of preference. This US program was designed to support developing countries by cutting import duties and taxes for about products from countries. Indonesian-made tires were removed from the list as the USA believes that Indonesia’s tire industry is already sufficiently competitive. This means that tire exports to the USA are now subject to a five percent import tax.

Rubber, known for its elastic quality, is a commodity that is used in many products and applications around the globe (from industrial to household products). There are two types of rubber, to wit natural rubber and synthetic rubber. Natural rubber is made from the juice (latex) of the rubber tree, whereas the synthetic type is made from petroleum. Both types are interchangeable and as such influence each other&#;s demand; when the price of petroleum rises, demand for natural rubber will increase. But when supply disruptions of natural rubber cause its price to rise, then the market tends to turn to synthetic rubber. This section discusses Indonesia&#;s natural rubber sector. Indonesia is one of the largest producers and exporters of natural rubber.

Being the world&#;s largest rubber importer, policies in China can have far-reaching effects on the global rubber industry. In late the government of China decided to approve a new standard for compound rubber imports. The permitted crude rubber content in imported compound rubber was cut from -. percent to percent, implying that compound rubber imports into China became subject to a percent import duty (the same tariff as natural rubber import duties). China’s new policy is a blow to its rubber suppliers in Indonesia as it results in declining usage of compound rubber in the world’s second-largest economy.