How Many Tv Members Growing Rubber Trees

[scotbeve]

Hi all,

I'm relatively new to this website but lived in TH 27 yrs. 19 of which in Chiang Mai. We have 90 rai of rubber farms and 80 rai of golden teak trees.

Just wondering how many more of you are growing either tree...

Thanks in advance for your replies,

Scott

[thoongfoned]

hi scotbeve,

we have two plots 11 rai which is almost 4 years old and 30 rai which is almost 2 years old. we are approx 70 km east of udon thani.

thoongfoned.

[stoneman]

We have 30 rai with 2,200 trees...half are 5 years old and the balance 2 - 4 years old...We are 80 km north of Udon Thani..Also in negotiation to buy another 75 rai with 6,000 trees..all about 4 years old...

Stoneman

[Mosha]

Growing some 2000+ down in Ranong Scott. Depending who you talk to between 2 to 4 years from tapping RIMM 251

Edited February 21, 2008 by Mosha

[dominique355]

My wife has about 100 rai in the province of Trad. Half of this is already growing rubber trees, the other half has just recently been cleared and young trees have been planted. Meanwhile they grow pineapple and some bananas.

[guyshown]

Have 60 rai in Sakon Nakhon Amphur Muang baan Tharae or real close to Tharae about 18 months old now...

[kolohe]

Have 112 rai in Chantaburi. A little over half the land is older trees, not sure of the age. Most of the rest of the land has young trees, about 3 years old. A small part of the land has a pond, mangosteen and some others that I dont know what they are.

[Mentors]

Hi all,

I'm relatively new to this website but lived in TH 27 yrs. 19 of which in Chiang Mai. We have 90 rai of rubber farms and 80 rai of golden teak trees.

Just wondering how many more of you are growing either tree...

Thanks in advance for your replies,

Scott

my wife and me have around 100 rai with rubber trees in South Thailand

Edited March 5, 2008 by Mentors

[scotbeve]

Good to hear from you folks! We've got about 85 rai in Mae Ai. 3, 4, & 5 year plots. Planted them a bit wide for intercropping. 76 trees per rai.

[dennis13]

hi,

i'm a TV member in thailand to for just a few months now,

not a farmer yet but thinking off buying some land in the near future.

i know about the laws that farang can't own land and sutch .

but i just wonder howmuch for the land and what can you make off it money ways iff you let a farmer do everything.

grtz dennis

[solent01]

Hi Scot, we are in Fang with a Tangerine Orchard in Mae Ai, that is soon to become a Para Plantation (as soon as one of my excavators is free)

[tongard]

HI we live in Leoi and have 63 rhai of rubber.23 have been producing for quite a few years the other is now 5years old.We grow corn or soye beans inbetwwen the rows of young rubber.Also have 50 rambutam trees which give a good crop and a good cash return.In the nexxt few weeks we have 500 seedlings to plant.The only drawback with the rubber is that everyone is planting it now and when all the trees mature so much will be produced maybe it will affect the price.

Tony

[Issangeorge]

tongard, "HI we live in Leoi and have 63 rhai of rubber.23 have been producing for quite a few years;" Finally someone in Isaan who actually has producing trees, rather than someone who is waiting for their trees to start producing. Can you please tell us how many kilograms you average per tree per year? Thank you. Issangeorge

[Sing_Sling]

Several plantations in and around Chanthaburi to Kaeng Hang Meow.

All producing trees above 15 years, average yield is 300-400 gpt, twice a week with ethylene booster. 20% GT1, the rest 600

One Jungle plantation, trees over 40 years old, average yield 200-500 gpt every second day with ethylene booster. Seedlings, obviously

Together about 3000 trees.

[stoneman]

Several plantations in and around Chanthaburi to Kaeng Hang Meow.

All producing trees above 15 years, average yield is 300-400 gpt, twice a week with ethylene booster. 20% GT1, the rest 600

One Jungle plantation, trees over 40 years old, average yield 200-500 gpt every second day with ethylene booster. Seedlings, obviously

Together about 3000 trees.

Sing...

Your number 300-400gpt is 1 week production? Or is the weekly production 600-800gpt based on twice a week? 300-400 gpt sounds more realistic..

Stoneman

[Sing_Sling]

We get varying results, but it is 300-400 gpt. Some trees yield three cups per tapping, others one, but it is definitely per tapping.

Certainly it depends on the trees, it must be a good clone, preferably GT1 or 600, over 15 years of age. Tapping is on a D3 basis, i.e tap/rest/rest. Tapping should be on primary bark, not secondary.

Seedlings are difficult to gauge until after one month. I will enclose some photos.

Added to which, the cut is only a quarter, not half.

[thoongfoned]

hello sing,

those are very good yields! ibet you are very happy with the results of your trees.

did you find that after the 10/12 year period the yeilds started to pick up alot?

[Sing_Sling]

Absolutely. From the age of 7 - 12 or 13 the trees are still growing and reach their maturity at 15 or so, their peak production period, which carries on for about 5-10 years, depending on the clone. Some trees still give lots of latex until they are 30, especially those grown from seedlings.

Do try virgin panel and quarter width tapping - then when the trees are around 15 use an ethylene additive - won't harm the trees at all as long as the tapping method is altered slightly and fertiliser is used.

The problem is labour . . . Thais are too lazy and do steal quite a bit. Cambodians steal less and work hard, but are illegally here.

We have a plantation in Vietnam, owned by the state of course, and the work rate is phenomenal.

[Rubberman]

Just joined this forum and am delighted to find other rubbermen. We have two plots in Nong Khai one is 40 rai and the other is 80 rai, mostly RRIT251 and some RRIM600, and start tapping next year. We grow pineapples,sweet corn and chillies in between.

After 30 years managing computer companies the last five years as a farmer have been a wonderful change and I like to do much of the work myself, such as the land clearing and preparation. I have a New Holland TD 95. We also have a small fruit farm on the Mekong riverside.

Since we are just coming up to tapping, I would like to know how others organise the labour for this? Do you offer a % of the crop, or employ staff on a daily rate, or what? I have two full time helpers but obviously will need more staff for tapping. How many trees should an experienced tapper do in one night?

[Critter]

Hello,

I would appreciate feedback from members regarding this offer from my Thai wife's distant family members; they have for generations been envolved with rubber farming and recently offered to us 40 rai for a price of 3 mil baht. Dont know age of trees yet but apparantly is producing, the land is in the Rayong area.

I have no experience in farming rubber but would like to know how this compares with you guys.

Many thanks.

[Rubberman]

Absolutely. From the age of 7 - 12 or 13 the trees are still growing and reach their maturity at 15 or so, their peak production period, which carries on for about 5-10 years, depending on the clone. Some trees still give lots of latex until they are 30, especially those grown from seedlings.

Do try virgin panel and quarter width tapping - then when the trees are around 15 use an ethylene additive - won't harm the trees at all as long as the tapping method is altered slightly and fertiliser is used.

The problem is labour . . . Thais are too lazy and do steal quite a bit. Cambodians steal less and work hard, but are illegally here.

We have a plantation in Vietnam, owned by the state of course, and the work rate is phenomenal.

Hello Sing Sling,

I have been following your comments with great interest, and the picture! Please explain what is GTI and also what is a Virgin Panel also what is the advantage of quarter width tapping?

We are starting to tap this coming year on mainly RRIT251 and some RRIM600 on 120rai in Nong Khai

Rubberman

[Sing_Sling]

Rubberman;

GT1 and the 600 series are Malaysian clones - by far the best clones you can get, in terms of wood, latex and growth. The Thai clones are sad copies and borne out of the complete ineptitude of the Thai government researchers. (On etold me recently that they have much better clones than the Malaysians but are keeping them secret . . . dumbasses).

Virgin panel is an area that has not been tapped yet, i.e usually the upper parts of the tree. Thai rubber tapping techniques are quite wasteful and destructive. There is no need to use half a panel (half of the tree's circumference) for tapping, plus the average tapper here taps far too deep, opening up the water tube, which has the effect of lowering the drc (dry rubber content) and therefore receiving a lower price from the dealer and harming his trees.

The split usually is either 50-50 or 60-40 for the owner. Salaries will not cut it, they just won't do it as they will earn more in a split situation. Be aware that 10-20% will be taken by the tapper anyway without your knowledge so he is getting his fair share. Alo, see if you can make them take over 50% of the fertiliser/ethylene/clearing costs.

Critter:

It depends on where and the sol content. Rayong can have very sandy soil and this is not ideal for rubber. We have several customers in Rayong (one of which is Thai Rubber) and their output per tree is not that good compared to other areas.

Check the trees first - very many trees have been cut to crap by greedy farmers overtapping because of the high price of latex. If the trees are under 7 and over 25 then don't bother.

Oh one thing: DO NOT use ethephon on your trees.

[Rubberman]

Rubberman;

GT1 and the 600 series are Malaysian clones - by far the best clones you can get, in terms of wood, latex and growth. The Thai clones are sad copies and borne out of the complete ineptitude of the Thai government researchers. (On etold me recently that they have much better clones than the Malaysians but are keeping them secret . . . dumbasses).

Virgin panel is an area that has not been tapped yet, i.e usually the upper parts of the tree. Thai rubber tapping techniques are quite wasteful and destructive. There is no need to use half a panel (half of the tree's circumference) for tapping, plus the average tapper here taps far too deep, opening up the water tube, which has the effect of lowering the drc (dry rubber content) and therefore receiving a lower price from the dealer and harming his trees.

The split usually is either 50-50 or 60-40 for the owner. Salaries will not cut it, they just won't do it as they will earn more in a split situation. Be aware that 10-20% will be taken by the tapper anyway without your knowledge so he is getting his fair share. Alo, see if you can make them take over 50% of the fertiliser/ethylene/clearing costs.

Critter:

It depends on where and the sol content. Rayong can have very sandy soil and this is not ideal for rubber. We have several customers in Rayong (one of which is Thai Rubber) and their output per tree is not that good compared to other areas.

Check the trees first - very many trees have been cut to crap by greedy farmers overtapping because of the high price of latex. If the trees are under 7 and over 25 then don't bother.

Oh one thing: DO NOT use ethephon on your trees.

Thanks Sing Sling,

I have seen a lot of 600 and on one of my plots I have planted 80% 600 and 20% RRIT251. Most farmers in Nong Khai have preferred to plant 600, say 90% of plantings over the last 20 years. The relatively new 251 variety/clone is now starting to yeild good latex and about 60% to 80% higher yeild per tree than 600. This was always claimed by the RRIT for 251 but few believed it so preferred to stay safe with 600. Now farmers are seeing the higher yeilds from 6 to 10 year old trees and are surprised. The trees do have some drawbacks such as not so even crowning and poor footing in loose or sandy soil, so a tendency to blow down in extreme high winds. On my larger and newer plot I have planted 80% 251 and 20% 600 on wind break areas. The 251 certainly grows faster and with the same soil and fertilizer should be ready for tapping a year or two sooner than the 600. We will see what the actual yeids are next year but what I have seen on other plantations of 251 looks good. Have you tried it yourself or do you have farmers near you with real experience of 251? We just had a freak storm blow through from the Lao mountains that took many tiles off my roof and blew away most roofs in our village, people say this is the worst wind they have ever experinced in our area. But we only lost one rubber tree out of 8,000 so our soil and windbreaks must be OK!!

[Sing_Sling]

Rubberman, you seem to have it all planned otu quite well.

Nope, we only have 600 (vast majority) and some GT1 and jungle seedlings.

Your news about yield surprises me, but I don't know enough about them to comment intelligently. One thing I did hear is that they will fetch lower wood prices . . . not sure why, perhaps the width or weight or quality.

Keep doing what you're doing, you seem to know enough to do well in this market.

[snawa]

Just joined this forum and am delighted to find other rubbermen. We have two plots in Nong Khai one is 40 rai and the other is 80 rai, mostly RRIT251 and some RRIM600, and start tapping next year. We grow pineapples,sweet corn and chillies in between.

After 30 years managing computer companies the last five years as a farmer have been a wonderful change and I like to do much of the work myself, such as the land clearing and preparation. I have a New Holland TD 95. We also have a small fruit farm on the Mekong riverside.

Since we are just coming up to tapping, I would like to know how others organise the labour for this? Do you offer a % of the crop, or employ staff on a daily rate, or what? I have two full time helpers but obviously will need more staff for tapping. How many trees should an experienced tapper do in one night?

Hi mate. Just noticed your post. We are at Bueng Kan, and have about 35 rai in three lots - 15 year old, 10 y o and 5 y o. Where in Nong Khai are you?

[simro]

Have 112 rai in Chantaburi. A little over half the land is older trees, not sure of the age. Most of the rest of the land has young trees, about 3 years old. A small part of the land has a pond, mangosteen and some others that I dont know what they are.

Do you want to sell, I am wondering how much per rai in this area

[simro]

Have 112 rai in Chantaburi. A little over half the land is older trees, not sure of the age. Most of the rest of the land has young trees, about 3 years old. A small part of the land has a pond, mangosteen and some others that I dont know what they are.

Do you want to see, how much per rai

[latex]

Ww are 30k outside Tung Song with 15 rai rubber, land prices around here for land with trees 7 years old or more now 150k per rai and up. Thinking of buying more but concerned about the price????? Any comments

[scotbeve]

Ww are 30k outside Tung Song with 15 rai rubber, land prices around here for land with trees 7 years old or more now 150k per rai and up. Thinking of buying more but concerned about the price????? Any comments

Hi latex,

What price are you concerned about? The land or the price of raw latex? The price of latex SHOULD be okay for some time...

[simro]

Ww are 30k outside Tung Song with 15 rai rubber, land prices around here for land with trees 7 years old or more now 150k per rai and up. Thinking of buying more but concerned about the price????? Any comments

Hi latex,

What price are you concerned about? The land or the price of raw latex? The price of latex SHOULD be okay for some time...

I need mu glasses, I want to buy a Latex farm.