The plantation and commodities ministry is conducting a study on the development of genomic technology to produce high-quality and disease-resistant rubber tree clones, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

The government has no plans to replace rubber with kenaf or bamboo, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

The government's initiatives to assist rubber smallholders, who are facing the challenge of low rubber prices and the conflict in Palestine, are among the issues which will be discussed at the Dewan Rakyat sitting today.

Japanese rubber futures rose on Tuesday after three consecutive sessions of declines, helped by a fall in yield due to poor weather, though unfavourable factory data in Japan limited gains. The Osaka Exchange (OSE) rubber contract for March delivery was up 0.6 yen or 0.2% at 256.5 yen ($1.72) per kg at closing.

Japanese rubber futures rose on Wednesday, buoyed by prospects of stimulus measures in both Japan and China, while the yen hovered near a one-year low, making assets denominated by the currency more affordable for overseas buyers.

THE Plantation and Commodities Ministry is conducting a study on the development of genomic technology to produce high-quality and disease-resistant rubber tree clones, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Plantation and commodities minister Fadillah Yusof says this is one of the R&D initiatives being carried out to help smallholders.

Japanese rubber futures slid 1.5% on Monday as lower demand for the tyre-making raw material pressured prices, while fears of a wider conflict in the Middle East weighed on sentiment across the markets. Washington warned over the weekend of a significant risk to US interests in the region as ally Israel pounded Gaza and clashes on its border with Lebanon intensified.