The Rubber Summit Singapore 2026, themed “Natural Rubber in an Era of Uncertainty: Navigating Risks, Building Resilience,” was organised by the Singapore Exchange (SGX) in conjunction with the Rubber Trade Association of Singapore (RTAS) Lunar New Year Dinner 2026. The summit brought together key stakeholders from across the global rubber industry to exchange insights on emerging challenges and opportunities facing the sector.
The summit focused on the global rubber market overview and outlook, including supply–demand trends and macroeconomic risks anticipated in 2026, shifting dynamics among major producing and consuming regions, as well as sustainability and regulatory developments. Particular attention was given to compliance and traceability requirements under the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and their potential implications for the rubber value chain.
Discussions also addressed upstream challenges and innovations, such as climate impacts on production, the importance of reliable data, and ongoing industry developments. Additional sessions explored risk management through futures markets and practical hedging strategies, downstream trends including global tyre demand and the growth of electric vehicles, and the increasing role of digitalisation and artificial intelligence in enhancing efficiency, transparency, and decision-making across the rubber value chain.
On the sidelines of the event, IRCo also met with a representative from Côte d’Ivoire to discuss potential future collaboration, including the possibility of the country becoming a member of the International Tripartite Rubber Council (ITRC) and exploring opportunities for natural rubber trade.