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The demand will grow 10 percent or so in 2009 and 2010, predicted Fan Rende, deputy head of the association.

China's natural rubber production is estimated at approximately 600,000 tons for last year, and the synthetic rubber output, at 1.84 million tons.

Fan said the natural rubber production would grow by only 1.7 percent this year.

To meet growing demand from manufacturers of tires, auto parts and footwear, Fan predicted, China would this year import 1.75 million tons of natural rubber, up 8.7 percent over last year, and1.5 million tons of synthetic rubber, up 15 percent.

Customs data show that last year, the country bought from abroad 1.6 million tons of natural rubber, up 14.6 percent year-on-year, and 1.3 million tons of synthetic rubber, up 19.2 percent.

According statistics from the association, China consumed 3.5 million tons of rubber in 2005 and 3.8 million tons in 2006.

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