Yokohama Rubber and RAOT hold seminar event in support of natural rubber farmers in Thailand
Hiratsuka, Japan—The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., announced that, together with the Surat Thani branch of the Rubber Authority of Thailand (RAOT), a state enterprise under the jurisdiction of Thailand’s Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MOAC), held a seminar event in June 2024 to help Thai natural rubber farmers improve the quality and productivity of their natural rubber. The seminar was the seventh held by Yokohama Rubber and RAOT since 2020.
Seventy farm households in the Surat Thani area participated in the event. Together with Yokohama Rubber employees, employees of Yokohama Rubber’s Thai natural rubber processing company Y.T. Rubber Co., Ltd., and employees of RAOT, the participants deepened their understanding of the selection and planting of natural rubber seedlings, the aims and effects of applying fertilizer, and the importance of preventing foreign substances from entering natural rubber over about five hours. Participants gave opinions such as, “I was relying on my experience until now, but I was able to obtain knowledge at this seminar to improve the quality and productivity of my natural rubber. It was a very good experience.” In addition, Yokohama Rubber provided each participating farmer 250 kg of fertilizer based on the knowledge of RAOT free of charge.
In January 2020, Yokohama Rubber signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the RAOT to cooperate in efforts to provide economic support for Thai natural rubber farmers and to improve traceability to ensure transparency and soundness of the natural rubber supply chain. The MOU and events held under it are concrete actions based on Yokohama Rubber’s “Procurement Policy for Sustainable Natural Rubber.” This seminar event was held in the Surat Thani area, home to Y.T. Rubber Co., Ltd., as part of support for farmers under the MOU. The farmers who received fertilizer are cooperating in follow-up surveys on its effect on the physical properties and productivity of their natural rubber.
A founding member of the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR), Yokohama Rubber revised its “Procurement Policy for Sustainable Natural Rubber” in September 2021 and is strengthening its collaboration with GPSNR activities. The recent seminar event in Thailand reflects the principle of “Support for suppliers, including small-scale farmers, and other parties involved in the supply chain” set forth in the Procurement Policy. Yokohama Rubber will continue to implement and announce initiatives in line with the action guidelines stipulated in this policy. Yokohama Rubber also is endeavoring to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations. As part of these efforts, the Yokohama Rubber Group is promoting the procurement of sustainable raw materials, including natural rubber.
Under the sustainability slogan “Caring for the Future”, Yokohama Rubber is creating shared value by addressing social issues through its business activities.