In 2014, the Vietnam Rubber Group (VRG) will purchase an additional11,220 hectares of rubber trees in Cambodia as it strives to gain100,000 ha in the neighbouring country, according to VRG GeneralDirector Tran Ngoc Thuan.

This is part of the group’s effort to intensify its rubber cultivation programme in the country.

This year, the two VRG subsidiaries of Tan Bien – Kampongthom andHoang Anh - Mang Yang K are scheduled to exploit 256 ha of rubber trees.

Last year, the Hoang Anh-Mang Yang K company built arubber processing plant to purchase and handle latex rubbers of localplantations and enterprises in Cambodia.

Membercompanies of Tan Bien, Phuoc Hoa, Ba Ria, Chu Se-Kampong Thom, Dong Phu,and Dong Nai – Kratie are deploying the construction of rubberprocessing plants in a bid to fulfill their rubber targets in 2015 and2016.

By 2013, the VRG had planted 78,622 ha of rubber trees in total in Cambodia and 18,958 ha in Laos.

The group’s rubber planting programmes in Cambodia and Laos have notonly generated economic and social benefits but also helped strengthenthe friendly cooperation between Vietnam and the nations.

The VRG has invested 30 million USD in the construction of roads,water plants, power system, schools and hospitals in Cambodia, granting atotal of over 2 million USD to the country’s social welfare programmesas well as creating more than 20,000 jobs for Cambodian people.-VNA