P686-M rubber plantation in Zambo del Norte to create 1,400 jobs

Some 1,400 new jobs are expected to be created as a P686 million rubber plantation project rolls out on a 2,000-hectare farm in Zamboanga del Norte, according to the Board of Investments (BOI).   The proponent, Zanorte Palm-Rubber Plantation, is considering Dunlop, Bridgestone and Yokohama as buyers of its output.   Rubber production is expected to increase by 4.183 million kilograms annually as a result of the Zanorte venture, which was among the 24 projects granted incentives as per the 2011 Investment Priorities Plan.   Rubber is the key raw material of many products of the transportation, industrial, consumer and medical sectors.   In the 2011 – 2016 roadmap of the local rubber industry, the goal is to have 200,000 hectares of plantation by 2016. As of 2010, 138,710 hectares were devoted to ribber production, according to the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS).   The BAS also said average rubber yield is 2.9 metric tons.   In 2010, Philippine rubber output was at least 395,000 metric tons and production centers were in mostly in Western Mindanao and Central Mindanao, — ELR, GMA News