TOKYO—Bridgestone Corp. is strengthening investment in its natural rubber plantations in Southeast Asia to ensure sustainability of supply.
The Japanese group intends to invest $26.7 million through 2030 to enhance productivity of NR plantations, aiming to double harvest volumes in a given area by 2035, compared with 2022 projections.
Initiatives include the introduction of "elite trees" with stable harvest volume, which are selected by genome analysis technology, Bridgestone said in an Aug. 10 news release.