Thread: income from rubber trees

Interesting, Muaray pay 45 for raw latex, straight out the tree.

OK, RSS will be more but additional expense, wages, equipment and transport.

Originally Posted by the dogcatcher

OK, RSS will be more but additional expense, wages, equipment and transport.

Everything costs. you just have to work the numbers. I don't pay the workers for making the sheets, it's all part of the tappers job to take the latex to the factory and process the rubber. They get more money that way as there share per kilo is more.
Have to say the factory is another expensive gamble, as we built a place that can process much more rubber than I will ever produce. So far it only brakes even. This is more my fault due to the fact I have had to keep flyiny back to Oz to make money and as soon as I leave the factory grinds to a stop. Hopefully now that I am going to give it all my time things should pick up. Jim

Good luck.
You definately don't have enough land to warrent a factory.
Maybe go large on buying in raw.

Hi
James can i ask what you mean when you say the land where your trees are growing needs ploughing twice a year ?
Also is 72 trees per rai the norm because i have just had some of the family plant some rubber for us and im pretty sure they have put more than that down ?
Cheers.

72 gov recommended, I've seen alot more.
Depends on water.

Originally Posted by JaiYinYin

Hi
James can i ask what you mean when you say the land where your trees are growing needs ploughing twice a year ?
Also is 72 trees per rai the norm because i have just had some of the family plant some rubber for us and im pretty sure they have put more than that down ?
Cheers.

Hi
We ploughed for the first 2 years as it opens up the soil to let the rains soak in for the young trees. but more importantly to keep the weeds down. Fire is a big problem around here around here and a grass fire can wipe out a lot of trees. Not only did we plough, but poisoned grass. I don't like using grass poison ergo ploughing when possible.
We planted 80 trees per rai, others go for 90 trees. A choice that may have more to do with the area. I went with 80 figuring that a larger canopy space would mean more rubber per tree. I may be wrong will just have to see. So far it would seem my trees are producing twice the amount of rubber compared to the locals trees of the same age. Again that may change overtime, my trees may have just had a better start in life. Jim

I've seen many people growing cassava in with the rubber for the first 3 years

Yeilds per rai Jim?

I was working in Malaysia on a project about 14 years ago and was asked by a professor from a local university to assist him and an Aussie guy on a new process which he claimed could increase the yield from a rubber tree by around 400%.

We went to a plantation and they showed me these trees which had a hand made modified respirator mouthpiece (clear overcover) mounted onto the tree trunk, covering the hole that had been opened to extract the rubber, some adjustable clamps around the trunk to secure the overcover and a silicon seal to create an airtight seal between the clear cover and the tree trunk.

The extraction process was started by pumping a gas, I think it was nitrogen into the cavity between the cover and the sealed tree trunk and this caused a reaction whereby the tree produced far more rubber.

Based upon the test models that they had set up it was clearly evident that the trees that had been set-up with the new technology was producing far more resin and when compared to the normal process of extraction.

It was my responsiblity to come up with a specially designed cover plate whereby the underside could seal perfectly onto every tree trunk.

After considering the challenge I very soon realised that every tree trunk was different in shape and it would be almost impossible to fashion one in plastic which could fit every tree on a plantation.

Has anyone ever used this method as I never heard from these people again but I can truly say it looked a fantastic idea?

I've heard of it but never seen or know anyone that used it.

Originally Posted by the dogcatcher

Yeilds per rai Jim?

As I said the yields go up over time, but will give you a number thursday as we will be selling about 3 weeks worth. Jim

Look forward to that.

Originally Posted by jamescollister

Originally Posted by the dogcatcher

Yeilds per rai Jim?

As I said the yields go up over time, but will give you a number thursday as we will be selling about 3 weeks worth. Jim

Hi dogcatcher
Just give you some approx numbers. Last years 1000 trees averaged 0.5 kilos this month. The new one [ some of which are not producing latex yet put out about 0.20 kilos or there about. All up sold 70,000 Baht of rubber . Jim

Sorry, I don't understand.
Can you break down to kg per rai per year.
Just found another 50 rai to rent, has a road, water and lecky.
On a bloody hill though.

Originally Posted by the dogcatcher

Sorry, I don't understand.
Can you break down to kg per rai per year.
Just found another 50 rai to rent, has a road, water and lecky.
On a bloody hill though.

Dog catcher you just multiple 0.50 kilos by trees per Rai, say 80 gives you 40 kilos times the tapping season in your area say 9 months. Not hard. The hard part is getting trees that are good producers.
How are you going to rent land for 30 years or are you hoping the Thai you rent off won't get greedy in a few years time and throw you off. >Jim

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

I was working in Malaysia on a project about 14 years ago and was asked by a professor from a local university to assist him and an Aussie guy on a new process which he claimed could increase the yield from a rubber tree by around 400%.

We went to a plantation and they showed me these trees which had a hand made modified respirator mouthpiece (clear overcover) mounted onto the tree trunk, covering the hole that had been opened to extract the rubber, some adjustable clamps around the trunk to secure the overcover and a silicon seal to create an airtight seal between the clear cover and the tree trunk.

The extraction process was started by pumping a gas, I think it was nitrogen into the cavity between the cover and the sealed tree trunk and this caused a reaction whereby the tree produced far more rubber.

Based upon the test models that they had set up it was clearly evident that the trees that had been set-up with the new technology was producing far more resin and when compared to the normal process of extraction.

It was my responsiblity to come up with a specially designed cover plate whereby the underside could seal perfectly onto every tree trunk.

After considering the challenge I very soon realised that every tree trunk was different in shape and it would be almost impossible to fashion one in plastic which could fit every tree on a plantation.

Has anyone ever used this method as I never heard from these people again but I can truly say it looked a fantastic idea?

wouldn't forcing production this way damage/exhaust the tree to a point where it eventually becomes unproductive faster, thus diminishing latex production over long term ? (having to repeat cycle of replanting, tendering and waiting more often)

Don't know, just asking.

We don't either.
All the land to be rented has trees on it already.
1 year contract.
If he bungs us off it doesn't matter, plenty of land about.
Good figures BTW.

Originally Posted by the dogcatcher

We don't either.
All the land to be rented has trees on it already.
1 year contract.
If he bungs us off it doesn't matter, plenty of land about.
Good figures BTW.

Have to say sounds a bit strange, what you are really doing is sub contracting labour,but that is the normal system for thais to hire tappers on a percentage basis. You need to be very good at the numbers if you are paying rent up front then payiny your tappers { who will run off with the rubber if you are not there} Best of luck im

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I'm from Malaysia, I've seen this method before. Either using gas or stimulant, the method is to force the latex out from the tree and it is like injecting steroid to it. The tree will be exhausted and the tree will die of dehydration. How to proof this method is harmful to the tree is to check the DRC. After a few months using these method the tree will not produce latex anymore and you will also notice Dry bark appears. You can't have long term profit by forcing the tree to produce higher yield. If the tree is healthy, you can be assured that the trees have longer lifespan and be able to produce higher quality yield.

Originally Posted by SunTzu

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

I was working in Malaysia on a project about 14 years ago and was asked by a professor from a local university to assist him and an Aussie guy on a new process which he claimed could increase the yield from a rubber tree by around 400%.

We went to a plantation and they showed me these trees which had a hand made modified respirator mouthpiece (clear overcover) mounted onto the tree trunk, covering the hole that had been opened to extract the rubber, some adjustable clamps around the trunk to secure the overcover and a silicon seal to create an airtight seal between the clear cover and the tree trunk.

The extraction process was started by pumping a gas, I think it was nitrogen into the cavity between the cover and the sealed tree trunk and this caused a reaction whereby the tree produced far more rubber.

Based upon the test models that they had set up it was clearly evident that the trees that had been set-up with the new technology was producing far more resin and when compared to the normal process of extraction.

It was my responsiblity to come up with a specially designed cover plate whereby the underside could seal perfectly onto every tree trunk.

After considering the challenge I very soon realised that every tree trunk was different in shape and it would be almost impossible to fashion one in plastic which could fit every tree on a plantation.

Has anyone ever used this method as I never heard from these people again but I can truly say it looked a fantastic idea?

wouldn't forcing production this way damage/exhaust the tree to a point where it eventually becomes unproductive faster, thus diminishing latex production over long term ? (having to repeat cycle of replanting, tendering and waiting more often)

Don't know, just asking.

Why not just buy direct from the Thai growers with a wad of cash and sell it on as a middleman ? No Trees , No Land , No Chance of the family stealing your investment and you can spend more time online dreaming.