The Central Highlands province of Gia Lai has zoned off between 120,000-125,000 ha for rubber growing by 2015 and the area is expected to increase to 130,000-135,000 ha by 2020.

At present, the province has 76,700 ha under rubber trees and the remaining will be developed from poor natural forests and bare forest land. Most of the new plantations will be in south-western districts such as Duc Co, Chuprong , Ia Grai, Chu Se and Chupah.

The expansion of rubber growing areas is expected to help improve the local people’s living conditions as the tree yields profit two times higher than cashew or short-term industrial crops.

The number of workers involving in rubber production now accounts for 11.2 percent of the province’s total 390,000 agro-forestry labourers.

In the future, if the province’s scheme is achieved, the rubber sector will create jobs for around 70,000 labourers./.