¡¡¡¡YANGON, February 7 (Xinhuanet) -- Myanmar exported 17,200 tons of raw rubber in the first ten months of 2001, a 21.1-percent decrease from the same period of 2000, the latest data of the official Economic Indicators show.

¡¡¡¡The earning through the export of raw rubber during the period was registered at 8.38 million U.S. dollars, reducing by 25.57 percent compared with the corresponding period of 2000.

¡¡¡¡Meanwhile, during the ten-month period, the country imported rubber goods worth 28.8 million dollars, 13.33 percent less than the same period of 2000.

¡¡¡¡Myanmar has been striving to extend the cultivation areas of rubber which is one of its major industrial crops and one of its major foreign exchange earners.

¡¡¡¡A latest report said the country has extended the rubber plantation area from two divisions and states to four with the increase of the area from 81,000 in 1994 to 182,250 at present.

¡¡¡¡In Myanmar, 2.62 million hectares are reportedly suitable for rubber growing.

¡¡¡¡Of the country's present rubber plantations, 13 percent is owned by the state and 87 percent by the private sector, while of the rubber production, 15 percent is shared by the state and 85 percent by the private enterprises. Enditem

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