Phnom Penh, Oct 18 (IANS): Cambodia earned $394 million in revenue from exports of natural rubber latex in the first nine months of 2024, up 18 per cent from 332.6 million dollars over the same period last year, official data showed on Friday.

The kingdom exported 248,535 tonnes of the commodity during the January-September period this year, up 2.4 per cent from 242,654 tonnes over the same period last year, according to a report by the General Directorate of Rubber.

"A tonne of rubber latex averagely cost $1,586 during the first nine months of 2024, about 215 dollars higher than that of the same period last year," Khun Kakada, acting director general of the government office, said in the report.

The Southeast Asian country exports natural rubber products mainly to Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore and China.

According to the report, Cambodia has so far planted rubber trees in a total area of 407,172 hectares, and 78.6 per cent have grown old enough to be tapped.