RUBBER EXPORT

Rubber is a polymer. It is material which can stretch and shrink. Rubber can be produced from natural sources e.g. natural rubber or can be synthesised on an industrial scale. Sometimes the word means only natural rubber ( latex rubber).

Natural rubber is made from the white sap of some trees such as the Hevea brasiliensis ( Euphorbiaceae ). Other elastomers, called synthetic rubbers, are made by chemical processes.

In Nigeria, rubber is grown in Ondo, Ogun, Delta, Bayelsa, Abia, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Rivers, Edo and Ebonyi States.

Some Products made from Rubber

Many things are made from rubber, like gloves, plugs, and masks, vehicle tyres, insulation, protective gloves, shoes, telephone parts, parts for radio sets, meters, and other electrical parts.

Consumer and Industrial Applications of Rubber include:

Medicine

Transportation

Building and Bridge construction

Personal care products

Food Industry etc.

Market

Rubber is highly demanded in overseas countries like China and India. The export of rubber has contributed positively to the economy of the country and has provided employment opportunities. Nigeria exports about 60,000 tons of natural rubber annually and has a comparative trade advantage on rubber production and exportation besides crude oil.

The demand for rubber continues to increase especially because of the positive boost in the tyre manufacturing industry which makes about 70% of the total demand for rubber and also the increasing global automobile sales.

Although, the demand of natural rubber continues to increase, its production and supply is not increasing at the same pace because plantations are either too old or immature to start yielding, and less product export , which makes the rubber export market less saturated with competitors and makes the business more yielding and profitable to investors that are involved in the business. Exporting rubber to foreign countries to feed their factories has a lot of profits and business prospects.