Quote Originally Posted by Pragmatic
haven't seen palm oil being planted but there has been an increase in banana trees. I don't if it's being done just for local markets as the acreage isn't on a large scale. I don't think the soil suitable around here for palm. The only rubber trees I've seen 'logged' was about a year ago and they were replaced with cassava. A step backwards IMO. Only 3 crops produced around here. Sugarcane, cassava and rice is yer lot really. No crop rotation. Same old, same old.
It's all very hard to figure out what's really happening, China has closed it's stock markets again.

Just read 2 articles, news paper one.
Interview of rubber planter in the south, 30 of his 50 tappers left on Monday, he hadn't tapped the whole plantation last year, lack of staff and he's cutting a 100 rai to grow alternate crops.

An article out today, World rubber association, alleged experts.
In one paragraph they predicted a 200,000 ton surplus and a one million ton deficit from el nino.

If China's going down the tube, everyone's going, not just the rubber guys, may have to plant rice on the 8 rai I don't use, fend off starvation.