Vietnam will join the International Tripartite Rubber Council (ITRC) in 2010.

ITRC, which groups Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia and accounts for 80 per cent of the world's natural rubber production, will be stronger with Vietnam joining, said Asril Sutan Amir, the director of the International Rubber Consortium Limited (IRCo).

Vietnam produces around 650,000 tons of natural rubber a year placing it in the ranks of world's largest producers. Thailand is the world's largest producer, contributing 2.9 million tons to the world total output.