Thread: Rubber trees 101

I was under the impression Synthetic rubber was in more demand.?

Originally Posted by Neverna

There was a report on the BBC two days ago about the demand for rubber. It focussed on the environmental angle but the rubber demand angle was clear.


Demand for rubber 'threatens forests'

The global demand for rubber tyres is threatening protected forests in Southeast Asia, according to a study.

Tropical forests are being cleared for rubber plantations, putting endangered birds, bats and primates at risk, say UK researchers.

By 2024, up to 8.5 million hectares of new rubber plantations will be needed to meet demand, they report in Conservation Letters.

This could have a "catastrophic" impact on wildlife, they warn.

Species such as the endangered white-shouldered ibis, yellow-cheeked crested gibbon and clouded leopard could lose precious habitat, said the team led by Eleanor Warren-Thomas, from the School of Environmental Sciences at the University of East Anglia.

"The tyre industry consumes 70% of all natural rubber grown, and rising demand for vehicle and aeroplane tyres is behind the recent expansion of plantations. But the impact of this is a loss of tropical biodiversity," she said.

"We predict that between 4.3 and 8.5 million hectares of new plantations will be required to meet projected demand by 2024. This will threaten significant areas of Asian forest, including many protected areas."

Eight-point-five million hectares is about the size of the land area of Austria.

Biodiversity concern

Rubber is the most rapidly expanding tree crop within mainland Southeast Asia.

Concern has been growing among conservationists that switching land use to rubber cultivation can harm soil, water and biodiversity.


There's more here: Demand for rubber 'threatens forests' - BBC News

James whats the measurement of a cup?

Originally Posted by Horatio Hornblower

James whats the measurement of a cup?

To be honest never really looked, just had a wander round the yard, but couldn't find any lying round.
2 sizes used round here, guessing 500 mil and 250 or 300 mil, will look next time I go to a plantation.

Originally Posted by OhOh

Doesn't the BBC know that tropical forests regrow/become repopulated in a couple of decades.

Originally Posted by OckerRocker

All been done before, crepitas - no need to re-invent the wheel

Thank you for your input sir:
Always good to get valuable input to this forum from far more experienced farmers.


Since I am a lazy old bugger,I would rather not waste my time ‘reinventing the wheel’. Could you perhaps post information and photographs as to how you, at minimal cost, have solved the problem of rainwater taking away a nights work on your, no doubt, extensive, highly profitable plantation?

Originally Posted by jamescollister

Originally Posted by Horatio Hornblower

James whats the measurement of a cup?

To be honest never really looked, just had a wander round the yard, but couldn't find any lying round.
2 sizes used round here, guessing 500 mil and 250 or 300 mil, will look next time I go to a plantation.

Jim, FYI for what it's worth:
Just asked the wife about size of our cups.
Seems we have 350mil to 1 litre.Mostly 1litre now as we continually swap them out. Apparently 1.5 litre also available…my ‘dear’ went into a long explanation about output of our various kinds of trees water content, latex types etc. which totally lost me…lol

Originally Posted by jamescollister

Originally Posted by Horatio Hornblower

James whats the measurement of a cup?

To be honest never really looked, just had a wander round the yard, but couldn't find any lying round.
2 sizes used round here, guessing 500 mil and 250 or 300 mil, will look next time I go to a plantation.

Do you sell rubber by the cup, Jim? Or by the kilo? Or litre?

Originally Posted by Neverna

Originally Posted by jamescollister

Originally Posted by Horatio Hornblower

James whats the measurement of a cup?

To be honest never really looked, just had a wander round the yard, but couldn't find any lying round.
2 sizes used round here, guessing 500 mil and 250 or 300 mil, will look next time I go to a plantation.

Do you sell rubber by the cup, Jim? Or by the kilo? Or litre?

We sell cup at the moment, so by the kilo, all the cup rubber is thrown in the trailer, then weighed and sold.
In better times we make ribbed smoked sheet, higher price per kilo, but costs to produce.
We have heard that a latex [liquid rubber] buyer may be setting up shop nearby, so may go over to liquid, more work and price will dictate.
All rubber is sold by the kilo, dry rubber contain, you just get different prices depending on the state you sell it.
RSS, highest, sun dried sheet next, liquid and cup last.
Other processes can add valve, crepe, bailed or powdered.

Thanks, Jim.

Am I right in assuming the rubber more or less dries in the cups while they're on the trees?

Originally Posted by Neverna

Thanks, Jim.

Am I right in assuming the rubber more or less dries in the cups while they're on the trees?

You are correct, it's not really water soluble, so it congeals even when wet.

I read the price of Palm oil is just another knife in the Thai farmers back Democrat slams govt over falling prices of farm produce - The Nation

Originally Posted by piwanoi

I read the price of Palm oil is just another knife in the Thai farmers back Democrat slams govt over falling prices of farm produce - The Nation

Think it's down round 2 Baht a kilo gate price, up and down, always the same.

The small Thai farmer/government should be preparing for the end of small farming, really, could a farmer in the west live off 10 rai/4 acres.

Commercial farming is here to stay, no matter how cheap your labor is, you can't compete long term against big agro.

Small Thai farmers want to farm as they have from day one, a subsistence life style, but want cars, big TVs and western goods.
Not going to happen, the 2 are not compatible.

Originally Posted by jamescollister

Originally Posted by piwanoi

I read the price of Palm oil is just another knife in the Thai farmers back Democrat slams govt over falling prices of farm produce - The Nation

Think it's down round 2 Baht a kilo gate price, up and down, always the same.

The small Thai farmer/government should be preparing for the end of small farming, really, could a farmer in the west live off 10 rai/4 acres.

Commercial farming is here to stay, no matter how cheap your labor is, you can't compete long term against big agro.

Small Thai farmers want to farm as they have from day one, a subsistence life style, but want cars, big TVs and western goods.
Not going to happen, the 2 are not compatible.

An astute summing up of the dilemma facing the small farmer ,maybe living in fantasy land could well be applicable too eh .

Originally Posted by jamescollister

Originally Posted by Neverna

Thanks, Jim.

Am I right in assuming the rubber more or less dries in the cups while they're on the trees?

You are correct, it's not really water soluble, so it congeals even when wet.

No you have to stir in formic acid to make it set firm.

Originally Posted by mykthemin

Originally Posted by jamescollister

Originally Posted by Neverna

Thanks, Jim.

Am I right in assuming the rubber more or less dries in the cups while they're on the trees?

You are correct, it's not really water soluble, so it congeals even when wet.

No you have to stir in formic acid to make it set firm.

Acid speeds up the congealing process, rubber drys naturally.
Look at the beading on the tap cut, if it didn't dry by it's self, latex would flow forever.
That's why they tap in the cool of the night, drys slower, heat and wind cut output.

If the rubber is dry, Jim, why can the buyers discount price for moisture?

Originally Posted by Neverna

If the rubber is dry, Jim, why can the buyers discount price for moisture?

In that, is the money maker, totally dry, there should be no water content discount.
Cup takes along time to dry and in high humidity will absorb moisture, even sheet, guessing the moisture content in your favor, adds baht to the profit.
Everyone is trying to get that extra Baht, when I was buying cup, people would inject water into the rubber, place stones in it, even the bark shavings.
Many rubber gate buyers go broke fast, they misjudge the water content, by the time they sell the weight has dropped more then they predicted water content and lose money.
Every buyer will go for the lowest price, discounting for water is a good way, but every seller wants the best price and he will sell to the buyer who discounts the least.
There are variations of the game, some buyers offer more per kilo, but discount for more water content etc.
Bit of a shell game. Jim

Thanks for the explanation, Jim.

TIT:
Wife just attended town meeting with village headman:
Many complaints as to the price of rubber, basic foodstuffs and the problem of constant rubber pilfering.
Question as to what happened to fertilizer subsidy.
Answer from headman:
Yeah but!!! Local government official with many rai had all his rubber stolen.
Such a shame…
Makes ya wanna weep!
21baht at gate today for cup..8% discount of course!

Actually do not have a problem with old chap that turns up with his truck to buy our cup rubber.Discounts are consistent and everybody has to make a living.
SILs advise that many buyers discount 15-20% regardless of weather..frickin robbery methinks.!

FYI, Subsistence Farming is by Royal Proclamation.

Originally Posted by ltnt

FYI, Subsistence Farming is by Royal Proclamation.

To one degree or another - mandated under Chulalongkorn at the height of his reign.

A limitation exist towards the said royal gifts, as commoners have been decreed to own said land outright in numerous instances. The so called Royal Proclamation as such applies to these things is not as broad as it once was - even 50 years ago, less 150.

It might not be surprising to some how much property holdings, projects, and infrastructure is solely owned by the royal purse/CPB - less the incredible and diverse investments they have worldwide.

^All this about to go under the knife of the Article 44 group...land grabs abound will be the next shinning example of Thainess...

Originally Posted by thaimeme

It might not be surprising to some how much property holdings, projects, and infrastructure is solely owned by the royal purse/CPB - less the incredible and diverse investments they have worldwide.

No surprises there thaimeme, its all published openly on many forums across the world...Royal Property Bureau, is a good start if you want enlightenment...