A STUDY ON THE CHALLENGES OF RUBBER MARKET IN MYANMAR (CASE STUDY: MON STATE)

Rubber plays an important role in many Asian countries including Myanmar. It is a useful raw material and an important foreign exchange earning item. Rubber production is a key livelihood activity of smallholder rubber farmers and a driver of job employment in Mon State. This research focused the current situation of rubber production and export of Myanmar and examined the existing challenges in the rubber market. This study applied descriptive method. To get production and marketing related information qualitative approach was used by interviewing thirty-five farmers and conducting three Key Informant Interviews with each stakeholder group in rubber market. It was found that rubber planting area has grown rapidly during the last two decades. Due to lack of proper technology and inefficient processing, rubber quality and yield was low, reducing the value and affecting the ability to diversify into new export markets. Therefore, the rubber sector in Myanmar needs structural changes to increase productivity, competitiveness and sustainability for the better economy of the nation