AFRICAN rubber production should rise by 6.8% this year to 363 000 tonnes, according to estimates from the Abidjan-based Association of Natural Rubber in Africa (ANRA). Ivory Coast, Africa’s largest producer, will reach 120000 tonnes in 2000 against 112000 in 1999, while Liberia, which restarted rubber activities in 1997 after the end of its civil war, should produce 90000 tonnes up from 85000 tonnes in 1999. The other African rubber makers are Nigeria (53000 tonnes in 2000 against 54000 in 1999), Cameroon (60000 vs 59000), Ghana (13000 vs 12000), Gabon (12000 vs 5000), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (8000 vs 7000), Guinea (5000 vs 4000) and Malawi (2000 in both 2000 and 1999). – Reuters