Indonesia is the world’s second largest natural rubber producer, with figures from the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries putting the number of hectares under cultivation at 3,445,000 and those under tapping at 2,773,000.
With an aim of further enhancing this production, Bridgestone Corp. has entered into a cooperative research project agreement with two other parties. News of the project between Bridgestone and the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) and the Indonesian Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (Badan Pengkajian dan Penerapan Teknologi, or BPPT) was announced on Feb. 24 at a press conference held at the BPPT office in Jakarta.
Bridgestone says it will “use its resources to contribute to the future development of the natural rubber industry in Indonesia” and at present the three parties are “working out the details of the joint research contract,” clarifying each participant’s role in the combined bioscience research into methods of increasing natural rubber production. The project is officially titled the “BPPT-AIST-Bridgestone Para Rubber Tree Project” and its specific research theme is the development of molecular breeding technology to increase latex production.This project is one of several Bridgestone is engaged in with a view of further developing the natural rubber industry, and the tiremaker says it chose to enter the agreement following the establishment of an international research cooperative created through a comprehensive research coordination agreement between the AIST and BPPT. (Tyres & Accessories)
