China is expected to consume 2.3 million tons of natural rubber by the year 2010, with two-thirds having to be imported from abroad, according to a forecast of the industry's development strategy.

The Ministry of Agriculture said China, the world's top natural rubber consumer, needs to import 1.55 million tons of natural rubber by 2010 to meet domestic demand as the country's output will stand at 750,000 tons.

In 2004, China consumed more than 3.4 million tons of rubber.

An insufficient supply of natural rubber has seriously affected the sustained development of the industry, industry sources said.

Currently, Hainan and Yunnan provinces in south and southwest China are the main rubber production bases. In 2004, the country's natural rubber-growing areas reached 696,200 hectares.

Source: Xinhua