With the continuous decline in the price of rubber, rubber growers in Mon State are having trouble continuing their operations at the beginning of the season, the sources told Than Lwin Times.

In September, the price of Local 3 rubber sheet rose to around 1,800 kyats per pound, but in the first week of October, it dropped to around 1,300 kyats per pound.

The price of rubber has fallen due to the drop in dollar value, but rubber farmers are unable to cope with high input prices.

On the other hand, rubber growers are facing difficulties because they cannot harvest latex amid continuous rain in Mon State.

In addition, due to the problem of labor shortages this year, skilled workers have to be hired at high wages, and the cost of the equipment used in the manufacture of rubber is also increasing.

A rubber farm owner added that if the price of rubber falls again while they are dealing with these issues, many small rubber plantations will close.

Rubber production may drop because some growers are unable to add inputs due to the nearly fourfold increase in rubber input prices since the military coup.

Mon State has more than 500,000 acres of rubber cultivation, yielding more than 100,000 tons of rubber annually.

Rubber is mainly exported to China, earning millions of US dollars from the rubber sector every year.

But like other industries, the rubber industry in Mon State is suffering the impact of the military takeover.