Thread: Rubber trees 101

Job creation project, cut down 22507 rubber trees (yes they counted), then replanting forest.

20,000 rubber trees condemned
Drive to reclaim Krabi forest land under way

20 August 2014

Krabi: A 500-strong task force yesterday kicked off an operation to end forest encroachment in Mu Koh Phi Phi-Nopparathara National Park, felling more than 20,000 rubber trees on 329-rai of land.

Apart from taking legal action against forest encroachers and evicting them from the lands they occupy, the department plans to grow more trees and rehabilitate damaged forest land.

Under the NCPO-led encroachment crackdown, the DNP is expected to reclaim some 4,000 rai of forest land.

Just sold 5 thousand kilo at the gate 21.5/kilo 9% water/wood discount...frick...pays the diesel and electric,food bill and a few doz beers I guess. Imagine if it was still up in the 70s+.....new truck maybe?!

This is a great, informative thread, guys. I enjoy reading it but I have a question. What does "gate" mean in this context?

our gate price is usually discounted around 8%

Just sold 5 thousand kilo at the gate 21.5/kilo 9% water/wood discount

And "wet cup"?

Sold 1,000 kilos yesterday, 22 Baht wet cup

Originally Posted by Neverna

This is a great, informative thread, guys. I enjoy reading it but I have a question. What does "gate" mean in this context?

our gate price is usually discounted around 8%

Just sold 5 thousand kilo at the gate 21.5/kilo 9% water/wood discount

And "wet cup"?

Sold 1,000 kilos yesterday, 22 Baht wet cup

OK simply put, gate price, buyer comes to you.
Wet cut, is usually 4 or 6 taps, rubber contains a lot of water.
Dry cup contains no or little water, buyers are paying for dry rubber content, that's how much solid rubber there is.
Price is lower for wet cup, as it weights more.
Wood content, is a dumb local trying to up the weight by putting the shaving in the rubber, sometimes stones. Had one who injected water in with a syringe.
Hope that helps. Jim

While there are some "dumb locals" who do attempt to pad the the weight of cup rubber with anything from old flip flops to rocks,most buyers are not that dumb however.
In our case our cutters are skillfull in that they cut very thinly..they drop the shaving into the cup because it is probably about 50% rubber from previous cut residue..our buyer knows this so no worries....

Rubber cutting technology:
Okay so many have tried to come up with automated rubber cutting..
Sort of wonder why the blade industry has not come up with a hand tool which has something like a safety razor technology, perhaps with a coiled snap off blade feeder like box cutters.
Alternatively: a chemical spray or fertiliser that perhaps extends the self healing time of the bark to allow longer drip times and perhaps result in less frequent cutting?

Just beer Chang musing…

Story here in Yahoo Business about rubber from dandelions

https://nz.finance.yahoo.com/video/f...143631829.html

Originally Posted by crepitas

Rubber cutting technology:
Okay so many have tried to come up with automated rubber cutting..
Sort of wonder why the blade industry has not come up with a hand tool which has something like a safety razor technology, perhaps with a coiled snap off blade feeder like box cutters.
Alternatively: a chemical spray or fertiliser that perhaps extends the self healing time of the bark to allow longer drip times and perhaps result in less frequent cutting?

Just beer Chang musing…

There is a thing on the market called Ultra. Painted on, very little, a hormone type product. Meant to improve the life of the tree, repair dry bark trees, and increase output by up to 25%. Not tried it myself, but we have a sample bottle to try on half a dozen trees that are not producing, and a couple that have dry bark disease. Google it, plenty of info.
5k kilos? How many trees and how many taps? ie over what period of time? Serious production.

Originally Posted by crepitas

Rubber cutting technology:
Okay so many have tried to come up with automated rubber cutting..
Sort of wonder why the blade industry has not come up with a hand tool which has something like a safety razor technology, perhaps with a coiled snap off blade feeder like box cutters.
Alternatively: a chemical spray or fertiliser that perhaps extends the self healing time of the bark to allow longer drip times and perhaps result in less frequent cutting?

Just beer Chang musing…

They have, got one here somewhere, disposable blades.
There is also needle tapping and upward tapping, lots of stimulants etc on the market and gas tapping.

TG interested in how you. Jim

Originally Posted by crepitas

Just sold 5 thousand kilo at the gate 21.5/kilo 9% water/wood discount...frick...pays the diesel and electric,food bill and a few doz beers I guess. Imagine if it was still up in the 70s+.....new truck maybe?!

I was told this morning that the government are now paying farmers 21,000 Baht per Rai to dig up their rubber trees if they haven't yet started to produce. That came from a genuine source and not through village rumour head office.

Had a cargo truck load of Lum Yai crash 4 days ago nearby. Owners have yet to arrive to clean up their dumped cargo. Suppose not worth it financially?

According to the political reports the Thai economy is on track.

On topic, several years ago the BIl purchase his rubber tree saplings for 50 baht each. Now he says they are 20 baht ea.

Originally Posted by jamescollister

Originally Posted by crepitas

Rubber cutting technology:
Okay so many have tried to come up with automated rubber cutting..
Sort of wonder why the blade industry has not come up with a hand tool which has something like a safety razor technology, perhaps with a coiled snap off blade feeder like box cutters.
Alternatively: a chemical spray or fertiliser that perhaps extends the self healing time of the bark to allow longer drip times and perhaps result in less frequent cutting?

Just beer Chang musing…

They have, got one here somewhere, disposable blades.
There is also needle tapping and upward tapping, lots of stimulants etc on the market and gas tapping.

TG interested in how you. Jim

Jim,
how i what?
Mike.

Originally Posted by ltnt

Had a cargo truck load of Lum Yai crash 4 days ago nearby. Owners have yet to arrive to clean up their dumped cargo. Suppose not worth it financially?

According to the political reports the Thai economy is on track.

On topic, several years ago the BIl purchase his rubber tree saplings for 50 baht each. Now he says they are 20 baht ea.

Different trees cost different prices, some cost, older type clones go down in price. Just like TVs, newer technology copy right on the clones.
Is planting rubber a thing of the passed, yes and no, Malaysia plants some rubber, that's primary reason is lumber. They grow fast and big, produce less latex, but more lumber, 15 years to harvest. So a smaller income for latex, but a good pay day after 15 years, look at what's branded named Malaysian oak.

Originally Posted by thaiguzzi

Originally Posted by crepitas

Rubber cutting technology:
Okay so many have tried to come up with automated rubber cutting..
Sort of wonder why the blade industry has not come up with a hand tool which has something like a safety razor technology, perhaps with a coiled snap off blade feeder like box cutters.
Alternatively: a chemical spray or fertiliser that perhaps extends the self healing time of the bark to allow longer drip times and perhaps result in less frequent cutting?

Just beer Chang musing…

There is a thing on the market called Ultra. Painted on, very little, a hormone type product. Meant to improve the life of the tree, repair dry bark trees, and increase output by up to 25%. Not tried it myself, but we have a sample bottle to try on half a dozen trees that are not producing, and a couple that have dry bark disease. Google it, plenty of info.
5k kilos? How many trees and how many taps? ie over what period of time? Serious production.

thx Jim..
re the 5kkg .....bit pissed I am afraid.... just typing verbatim what the wife was telling me...actually looking at receipt was about 580kg. ( about 3-4 days..so much frickin rain) Wife often gets mixed up between hundreds and thousands...except of course at the ATM!

Rubber planters struggle to stay afloat | Bangkok Post: Most recent


Rubber production costs in Thailand now stand at 64.14 baht per kg while the average price of smoked rubber sheets is 55.19 baht, resulting a nine-baht loss per kg for growers, he added.

Please credit and share this article with others using this link:Rubber planters struggle to stay afloat | Bangkok Post: Most recent. View our policies at Bangkok Post: Terms and conditions of use and Bangkok Post: Republishing policy. © Post Publishing PCL. All rights reserved.

Would say there will be a shortage of sheet rubber before long, guess those who can wait it out will come out on top. Those that can't will fold, lucky for me, we renewed our factory's licence last year. Good for 5 years, so can wait for awhile. Jim

How about this product Gac? Spicygac.com

Supposed to be an anti-toxident, big for cures of cancer. Royal agriculture farms are doing research on it as well as producing a drink product.

Very interesting articles on this on-line. Belongs in the cucumber family. I have the wife on a search and destroy mission for it. I want to try to grow it and see how difficult it will be to grow first.

Originally Posted by ltnt

How about this product Gac? Spicygac.com

Supposed to be an anti-toxident, big for cures of cancer. Royal agriculture farms are doing research on it as well as producing a drink product.

Very interesting articles on this on-line. Belongs in the cucumber family. I have the wife on a search and destroy mission for it. I want to try to grow it and see how difficult it will be to grow first.

Hobby yes income no, no market or buyers.
Lots of things like that, cashews, much of the world throw the nut away and use the cashew apple, no market in SEA though.

^ Develop a market in the USA and Aus.? Health food freaks abound...

Originally Posted by jamescollister

Rubber planters struggle to stay afloat | Bangkok Post: Most recent


Rubber production costs in Thailand now stand at 64.14 baht per kg while the average price of smoked rubber sheets is 55.19 baht, resulting a nine-baht loss per kg for growers, he added.

Please credit and share this article with others using this link:Rubber planters struggle to stay afloat | Bangkok Post: Most recent. View our policies at Bangkok Post: Terms and conditions of use and Bangkok Post: Republishing policy. © Post Publishing PCL. All rights reserved.

Would say there will be a shortage of sheet rubber before long, guess those who can wait it out will come out on top. Those that can't will fold, lucky for me, we renewed our factory's licence last year. Good for 5 years, so can wait for awhile. Jim

Just curious Jim why the "factory license" advantages?
What does your factory produce in the way of value add rubber product..or do you currently just buy and on sell rubber as a middleman, do you need a license for that...doubt my old fellow gate buyer has one.
You often say you are selling cup at gate, is this the on selling?

Originally Posted by crepitas

Originally Posted by jamescollister

Rubber planters struggle to stay afloat | Bangkok Post: Most recent


Rubber production costs in Thailand now stand at 64.14 baht per kg while the average price of smoked rubber sheets is 55.19 baht, resulting a nine-baht loss per kg for growers, he added.

Please credit and share this article with others using this link:Rubber planters struggle to stay afloat | Bangkok Post: Most recent. View our policies at Bangkok Post: Terms and conditions of use and Bangkok Post: Republishing policy. © Post Publishing PCL. All rights reserved.

Would say there will be a shortage of sheet rubber before long, guess those who can wait it out will come out on top. Those that can't will fold, lucky for me, we renewed our factory's licence last year. Good for 5 years, so can wait for awhile. Jim

Just curious Jim why the "factory license" advantages?
What does your factory produce in the way of value add rubber product..or do you currently just buy and on sell rubber as a middleman, do you need a license for that...doubt my old fellow gate buyer has one.
You often say you are selling cup at gate, is this the on selling?

Actually currently thinking of clearing a rai or two of farm and building a cup buying station with office etc. Think perhaps only a generic business licence necessary..need a decent weigh station, forklift, front loader etc..Margins would be the same regardless of rubber price. Still business case and ROI term is somewhat iffy..though could give employment to extended family and few locals or Burmese methinks.

TG, mike how you go with the ultra stuff, we spray Amway stuff on, I think it makes little difference, but the tappers swear by it.

cepitas, contrary to what most, Thai and farang think, there are rules and laws, sames as the west and rubber is regulated.

You need a license to buy rubber, the people who buy off you, will be buying on behalf of a licensed buyer. Think you need 3 mil Baht in the bank to apply, as the taxman kicks in, it's a business. Licensed buyers need to move volume, big bucks.

Next up the chain is the processors, a few big rubber houses control processing, lead to believe the open processing licenses are no more, fear of ASEAN.
That's me the smallest legal processor that I know of. I was very, very fortunate that I didn't listen to the Thais.
Went to the SME department in Ubon, glory be, I'm in an economic development area.

Still wasn't easy to get a license though, 3 sets of planning permission, local, provincial and national. Land had to get national industrial zoning, EPA, health and safety, plus a factory's licence, before the processing license was issued.

It sits idle now, but pay all the taxes etc, can be up and running in 48 hours, if the upturn comes Jim

Jim,
not tried it yet, and won't till the rainy season proper has finished. Got a sample bottle enough to try out on a dozen or so trees. If it did everything it said it does on the tin, everybody would use it. My missus does not like any hormonal type additives on her trees, just good fertiliser twice a year. Reckons that the trees will become "addicted" to the stuff.

Originally Posted by thaiguzzi

Jim,
not tried it yet, and won't till the rainy season proper has finished. Got a sample bottle enough to try out on a dozen or so trees. If it did everything it said it does on the tin, everybody would use it. My missus does not like any hormonal type additives on her trees, just good fertiliser twice a year. Reckons that the trees will become "addicted" to the stuff.

Lots of stuff on the market, great claims, YouTube vids, remember one guy selling vitex or something, 50 to 100% increase in out put.
When I see the Malaysian, Thai or Indian rubber boards recommending something, will take notice, all the rest is snake oil.
Used to have locals coming round to see what magic fertilizer I used, would't believe that taking proper care of the trees from day one was why, out put was higher.
Should have sold them magic powered, at 2,000 Baht a bottle. Jim

Same here. None of the neighbours can figure out why they don't have the girth and especially canopy of our trees. Simple; no ploughing after 3 years, no chemical grass killing/spraying, good fertiliser and proper amounts twice a year, and NO TAPPING at 5 years of age on a tree with a trunk like my forearm.

Next door neighbour's 12 rai plantation has not changed in looks in 6 years. his 11 year old trees looked like they did when they were 5. Shit canopy, small diameter trunks. When people come round to look at it (been for sale for a while), they ask how old ours are, my missus has heard him say they are 12-13 years old, as much bigger and completely different canopy. They are one year younger.