Myanmar has become the 13^th member of the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC), an inter-governmental organisation that aims to help countries improve the quality of its rubber products. According to a report in Tire Business, Myanmar produced 242,000 metric tons of natural rubber for the 12 months that ended in June 2018, making it the ANRPC’s seventh largest producer. An estimated 90 percent of the world’s natural rubber is produced by ANRPC countries. Myanmar typically exports about 150,000 tons of natural rubber, the article said. Myanmar’s rubber market has significant potential, experts say, but has areas of improvement, especially when it comes to yield. Myanmar is expected to attend the annual rubber conference, which will take place in Thailand’s Chiang Rai in mid-October.