How Many Tv Members Growing Rubber Trees

[IraqRon]

Hello Ron

I can answer one of your questions with some certianty, as I buy liquid latex from the locals. It is about 30% solid to liquid, so 3 litres of liquid latex makes about 1 Kilo of rubber. The percenage varies, but only by a few percent depending on rain type of tree etc Average output per tree in my area is 1 kilo per month, but averages are just that some trees produce more and some much less. Hope that helps JIM

Thanks JIM, it does help. Certainly a lot more to this than I imagined. Learning how to tap will wait a few years until the trees are ready, but I like to start learning the generalities as soon as possible.

I don't think they tap year round up north here, especially since we have a dry season of about 4 to 5 months.

[HKChris]

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 Rubberman - and others!

This is great and very informative! I have a number of properties in the Bung Kan area - in total around 120 rai, half of which is in production now.I live remotely and have to trust 'family' that all is run reasonably. We pay the workers 40% of the production - that seems to work ok. Most live on the properties and have water and electricity provided.

A good tapper should do over 1,000 a night I believe - what do others think?

Being new to all this, what does the measure 'gpt' mean? What is a good average - is there such a thing?

Thanks for your help!

I think 500 a night is nearer the mark. Remember the terrain mat be difficult, Also how far they have to carry the latex to the drop off point.

[HKChris]

There's some great information here guys - thanks for your input.

I agree, it seems impossible to get a real idea of what 'average production' should be - there are so many variables. Being rather new to all this, can someone please answer a few questions to improve my understanding?

What does the measure of 'gpt' mean? I really need to measure the productivity from my farms in a more 'scientific' way.

I see the term of 'ethylene booster' being used.... how is ethylene applied, how often, and how much? Can it be applied to younger trees that have only recently come in to production? What is the long term effect on the trees?

To respond to queries from other posters... my farms are up near the Mekong close to Bung Kan... well north of Udon Thani. Rainfall is reasonable but Feb & March seems to be 'downtime'. With fertiliser twice a year the trees seem to grow well... ready for first cut at 7 years. We cut 2 nights on, 1 night off... meaning about 20 days per month. Right now its a bit wet so we're selling 'out of the cup' - later we make rubber mat. Interesting comments from some of you about the relative merits (or not) of making rubber mat.

Really appreciate any responses - great forum, and would really like to hear from any of you with farms in the far north east.

Cheers!

[latex]

Price of rubber has dropped 25% aroun Nakhon Si, how is it around Surat and "up north"

[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.

Hi my wife has land in Chantaburi, which she grows mostly mangosteen, I am looking at buying a Rubber plantation, do you know the cost of Rai in that area?

[HKChris]

Price of rubber has dropped 25% aroun Nakhon Si, how is it around Surat and "up north"

I'm expecting the same 'up north' as well - we last sold a week ago and expect to sell again in the next few days. I'm expecting high 30's to around 40 baht per kilo for cup latex.... ouch!

[latex]

latex in cups now selling for 19 baht kilo around Nakhon Si and Surat, apparently because there is no market, no manufacturers are buying, anybody have any info about this

[jamescollister]

Hello all

Yes it has been a sad few weeks for rubber planters, we have stopped buying latex, as the price has been falling faster then we can drop the gate price. All you can do is store your rubber and keep an eye on the price of a barrel of oil. When oil starts to go back up so will the price of rubber, but it may be along time before it gets back up to 100 bht a kilo.

I gather that there will be a lot of reposed utility trucks coming on the market very shortly. Interesting times for the whole world. Jim

[scotbeve]

Hello all

Yes it has been a sad few weeks for rubber planters, we have stopped buying latex, as the price has been falling faster then we can drop the gate price. All you can do is store your rubber and keep an eye on the price of a barrel of oil. When oil starts to go back up so will the price of rubber, but it may be along time before it gets back up to 100 bht a kilo.

I gather that there will be a lot of reposed utility trucks coming on the market very shortly. Interesting times for the whole world. Jim

I've set my wish list price at 50 baht a kilo in 3 years time... We'll see

[bassman]

As rubber is a commodity and can be artificially made from petrolium products, isn't the price of rubber somewhat dependent on the price of oil?

I had 48 rai in Nakom Phanom that at one time I was thinking of turning into a rubber plantation, but due to the upheavel in the south and the Thai government promotion of rubber I sold the land at X5 the purchase price between 2003 (when purchased) and 2007 (when sold).

A good reason might be that the price of rubber has dropped is because the price of oil has dropped? I am not sure, you "rubber barons", what do you think?

Don

[jamescollister]

Hello all

Yes it has been a sad few weeks for rubber planters, we have stopped buying latex, as the price has been falling faster then we can drop the gate price. All you can do is store your rubber and keep an eye on the price of a barrel of oil. When oil starts to go back up so will the price of rubber, but it may be along time before it gets back up to 100 bht a kilo.

I gather that there will be a lot of reposed utility trucks coming on the market very shortly. Interesting times for the whole world. Jim

I've set my wish list price at 50 baht a kilo in 3 years time... We'll see

I wouldn't be so sure that the price will stay that bad, when I see deserted roads then I will know that rubber is finished. I will predict that ribbed smoke rubber will be over 50 bht [ local price] by Xmas. Right now no one is buying as there is too much uncertianty on the world markets, but sooner than later people will need new tires for their cars, trucks etc JIM

[Lickey]

Today from BKK post.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/171008_Business...t2008_biz40.php

[Lickey]

Raw latex balls by the truck-load have been coming through our town for the last 5 days, the stench is incredible, the BIB have been diverting trucks [3kextra] but one driver ignored this and was fined 1500bht, he parked up till his boss came and paid. so i would imagine that the transport cost and the fine really took the cream off the pie.

So why the hurry with the stinking shit latex balls? [mrs description] to get rid off quick before synthetics take over?do the thais smell a rat with rubber?

[philstone]

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...

Sorry to say Rubber 48 bath kilo and going to 20 a kilo Just the facts. Rubber land with trees be lucky to go for 35,000 rai stop dreaming. Thais who have over 10,000 rai plantation are selling them for 28,000 a rai common knowledge. We are buying a 20,000 rai for 29,000 Baht a rai. Glad I can help

Edited October 19, 2008 by philstone

[jamescollister]

Hello all

Yes it has been a sad few weeks for rubber planters, we have stopped buying latex, as the price has been falling faster then we can drop the gate price. All you can do is store your rubber and keep an eye on the price of a barrel of oil. When oil starts to go back up so will the price of rubber, but it may be along time before it gets back up to 100 bht a kilo.

I gather that there will be a lot of reposed utility trucks coming on the market very shortly. Interesting times for the whole world. Jim

I've set my wish list price at 50 baht a kilo in 3 years time... We'll see

I wouldn't be so sure that the price will stay that bad, when I see deserted roads then I will know that rubber is finished. I will predict that ribbed smoke rubber will be over 50 bht [ local price] by Xmas. Right now no one is buying as there is too much uncertianty on the world markets, but sooner than later people will need new tires for their cars, trucks etc JIM

May be I was a bit out on my timing Ribbed smoked rubber today is just under 57 bht a kilo. That should mean a local price of just under 50 bht. so may be things are starting to settle just a bit JIM

[Mentors]

its an up and down, many forget that the price was on same level three years ago. It will go up again, no panic.

[scotbeve]

its an up and down, many forget that the price was on same level three years ago. It will go up again, no panic.

I agree... don't panic and go in for the long term / long run. Thais are always like lemmings: the price of rubber goes down, sell and slash and burn, plant something else that's (over) popular.

[Mosha]

Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia have, as I posted in another topic, agreed to cut production. In Thailand this is to be achieved by felling older trees, not tapping the trees until they are at least 6.5 years old, and tap less often. How they are going to enforce this is unknown, but they reckon on taking 400,000 Rai out of production in Thailand.

[IsaanAussie]

Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia have, as I posted in another topic, agreed to cut production. In Thailand this is to be achieved by felling older trees, not tapping the trees until they are at least 6.5 years old, and tap less often. How they are going to enforce this is unknown, but they reckon on taking 400,000 Rai out of production in Thailand.

Today the price of rubber sheets fell 5.90 baht/kg to 45.50 baht. The question is who needs the rubber with GM stopping production for two months and the latest figures indicating that vehicle production will fall by over 100,000 units next year here in Thailand. Australian finance houses have announced they will not supply dealers with funding post 2008, no stock no sales, no sales no Thai exports.

Isaanaussie

[glongi]

Can anyone nail these figures down?

How much about on average is one rai going to make profit in one year. After EVERYTHING ie. 50 50 split, fertilizer etc i Assuming rm 600 is the crop.

That's the only figure that counts.

I will try.

You have 120kg Milk, a 34% Rubber, the dry wight 40.80 kg, day price dry 46.00 Baht, all 1876.00 Baht, 50% 938.4 Baht.

Or you have 262 kg Rubbercheets, price 50 Baht, all 11,300.00 Baht, 50% 5650.00 Baht.

Both examples are from different dates thats why 46 and 50 Baht.

But after we sold the higher amount the % were 38, and price 52 Baht.

So had we sold 120 kg Milk, a 38%, 45.6 kg, 52 Baht, 50% = 1185.60 Baht instead of 938.4 Baht.

Now that says nothing about the monthly earnings.

I can tell you that i sold last year 188.26 kg/rai.

That is monthly 188.26* 60 Baht = 11,295.60 Baht.

That is the average price.

When you calculate that for 2 month you don't cut, than it is about 13.554.72 Baht /month and that warry very much from month to month.

That is a very bad rubber garden, 50/50 split and fertilizer split but extra. Just to have an Idea.

[Mosha]

Glongi where are you living. Here in Ranong due to the rain, we have a much shorter tapping season. Depending on how wet the season can be 7 months sometimes less. Wish we had gone for palm now.

[chang35baht]

Can anyone nail these figures down?

How much about on average is one rai going to make profit in one year. After EVERYTHING ie. 50 50 split, fertilizer etc i Assuming rm 600 is the crop.

That's the only figure that counts.

I will try.

You have 120kg Milk, a 34% Rubber, the dry wight 40.80 kg, day price dry 46.00 Baht, all 1876.00 Baht, 50% 938.4 Baht.

Or you have 262 kg Rubbercheets, price 50 Baht, all 11,300.00 Baht, 50% 5650.00 Baht.

Both examples are from different dates thats why 46 and 50 Baht.

But after we sold the higher amount the % were 38, and price 52 Baht.

So had we sold 120 kg Milk, a 38%, 45.6 kg, 52 Baht, 50% = 1185.60 Baht instead of 938.4 Baht.

Now that says nothing about the monthly earnings.

I can tell you that i sold last year 188.26 kg/rai.

That is monthly 188.26* 60 Baht = 11,295.60 Baht.

That is the average price.

When you calculate that for 2 month you don't cut, than it is about 13.554.72 Baht /month and that warry very much from month to month.

That is a very bad rubber garden, 50/50 split and fertilizer split but extra. Just to have an Idea.

Glongi, can you please confirm that the figures you`ve quoted are monthly figures.

Thanks in advance,

Chang35baht.

[agord]

Have 100 rai of rubber tree in Nakorn Si Thamarat.

[glongi]

Can anyone nail these figures down?

How much about on average is one rai going to make profit in one year. After EVERYTHING ie. 50 50 split, fertilizer etc i Assuming rm 600 is the crop.

That's the only figure that counts.

I will try.

You have 120kg Milk, a 34% Rubber, the dry wight 40.80 kg, day price dry 46.00 Baht, all 1876.00 Baht, 50% 938.4 Baht.

Or you have 262 kg Rubbercheets, price 50 Baht, all 11,300.00 Baht, 50% 5650.00 Baht.

Both examples are from different dates thats why 46 and 50 Baht.

But after we sold the higher amount the % were 38, and price 52 Baht.

So had we sold 120 kg Milk, a 38%, 45.6 kg, 52 Baht, 50% = 1185.60 Baht instead of 938.4 Baht.

Now that says nothing about the monthly earnings.

I can tell you that i sold last year 188.26 kg/rai.

That is monthly 188.26* 60 Baht = 11,295.60 Baht.

That is the average price.

When you calculate that for 2 month you don't cut, than it is about 13.554.72 Baht /month and that warry very much from month to month.

That is a very bad rubber garden, 50/50 split and fertilizer split but extra. Just to have an Idea.

Glongi, can you please confirm that the figures you`ve quoted are monthly figures.

Thanks in advance,

Chang35baht.

Oh sorry, a big mistake, that was yearly!

The average national output was 2004 290 kg/rai/year.

Except the beginning, that was just to figure out what is the price for milk and sheets, as an example.

@Mosha,

the plantation is near Khian Sa.

[IraqRon]

Can anyone nail these figures down?

How much about on average is one rai going to make profit in one year. After EVERYTHING ie. 50 50 split, fertilizer etc i Assuming rm 600 is the crop.

That's the only figure that counts.

I will try.

You have 120kg Milk, a 34% Rubber, the dry wight 40.80 kg, day price dry 46.00 Baht, all 1876.00 Baht, 50% 938.4 Baht.

Or you have 262 kg Rubbercheets, price 50 Baht, all 11,300.00 Baht, 50% 5650.00 Baht.

Both examples are from different dates thats why 46 and 50 Baht.

But after we sold the higher amount the % were 38, and price 52 Baht.

So had we sold 120 kg Milk, a 38%, 45.6 kg, 52 Baht, 50% = 1185.60 Baht instead of 938.4 Baht.

Now that says nothing about the monthly earnings.

I can tell you that i sold last year 188.26 kg/rai.

That is monthly 188.26* 60 Baht = 11,295.60 Baht.

That is the average price.

When you calculate that for 2 month you don't cut, than it is about 13.554.72 Baht /month and that warry very much from month to month.

That is a very bad rubber garden, 50/50 split and fertilizer split but extra. Just to have an Idea.

Glongi, can you please confirm that the figures you`ve quoted are monthly figures.

Thanks in advance,

Chang35baht.

Oh sorry, a big mistake, that was yearly!

The average national output was 2004 290 kg/rai/year.

Except the beginning, that was just to figure out what is the price for milk and sheets, as an example.

@Mosha,

the plantation is near Khian Sa.

Am I correct then is this: You gross about 13,500 bht per year per rai and after the 50/50 split and fertilizer you net say roughly 6,000 bht per year per rai?

Is this a good return on your investment do you think?

Say land and trees, initial investment of 30k bht per rai sound reasonable? If so they total payback in approx 5 years on initial investment...and you have the rest of the productive years and then sale of old trees and own the land after that as profit so to speak.... sounds pretty good to me, am I off in my figuring???

[glongi]

Can anyone nail these figures down?

How much about on average is one rai going to make profit in one year. After EVERYTHING ie. 50 50 split, fertilizer etc i Assuming rm 600 is the crop.

That's the only figure that counts.

I will try.

You have 120kg Milk, a 34% Rubber, the dry wight 40.80 kg, day price dry 46.00 Baht, all 1876.00 Baht, 50% 938.4 Baht.

Or you have 262 kg Rubbercheets, price 50 Baht, all 11,300.00 Baht, 50% 5650.00 Baht.

Both examples are from different dates thats why 46 and 50 Baht.

But after we sold the higher amount the % were 38, and price 52 Baht.

So had we sold 120 kg Milk, a 38%, 45.6 kg, 52 Baht, 50% = 1185.60 Baht instead of 938.4 Baht.

Now that says nothing about the monthly earnings.

I can tell you that i sold last year 188.26 kg/rai.

That is monthly 188.26* 60 Baht = 11,295.60 Baht.

That is the average price.

When you calculate that for 2 month you don't cut, than it is about 13.554.72 Baht /month and that warry very much from month to month.

That is a very bad rubber garden, 50/50 split and fertilizer split but extra. Just to have an Idea.

Glongi, can you please confirm that the figures you`ve quoted are monthly figures.

Thanks in advance,

Chang35baht.

Oh sorry, a big mistake, that was yearly!

The average national output was 2004 290 kg/rai/year.

Except the beginning, that was just to figure out what is the price for milk and sheets, as an example.

@Mosha,

the plantation is near Khian Sa.

Am I correct then is this: You gross about 13,500 bht per year per rai and after the 50/50 split and fertilizer you net say roughly 6,000 bht per year per rai?

Is this a good return on your investment do you think?

Say land and trees, initial investment of 30k bht per rai sound reasonable? If so they total payback in approx 5 years on initial investment...and you have the rest of the productive years and then sale of old trees and own the land after that as profit so to speak.... sounds pretty good to me, am I off in my figuring???

roughly 6,000 bht per year per rai? Yes!

But now,- with an initial investment of 100k that is an interest of 6%.

That is not very good and should bee as much as 10%.

I don't see a payback in 5 years - it's rather 14 years - and I have maybe only 5 years left.

Ok you still have the land and at the end you can sell the wood for about 30-40k, but you have to develop the land again and wait 7 years before you can start again.

It is all not easy to make money - but think about how much you make with your money in a bank.

[Lickey]

I don't see a payback in 5 years - it's rather 14 years - and I have maybe only 5 years left.

Ok you still have the land and at the end you can sell the wood for about 30-40k, but you have to develop the land again and wait 7 years before you can start again.

It is all not easy to make money - but think about how much you make with your money in a bank.

Good Post Glonghi, what you write goes for a lot of us, have money come every day!

tomorrow is promised to no one is my motto, Happy New year [if it comes] cheers, Lickey..

[IraqRon]

So true, Lickey, very hard to make money in any kind of agriculture on a regular basis. I would rather do it with my mind than my back but at this point my back is stronger, but its going south too!!!

I based my calculations on have about 30k bht per rai in the land and trees after buying the land and planting the trees. Didn't figure in my and wifes labor to plant and fertilize the first season. Just used that figure for a talking point, and then at 6k profit per rai per year it looked like a 6 yr payback, but of course that is very optimistic of course. We did buy some land and 4 yr old trees at about 28k per rai, hope that works out. Have more per rai in the other plot.

Anyway, good luck to you on your trees.

It still not a lot of return on money and effort is it. But bank cd's lose against inflation, the stock market remains a gamble and I am terrible at poker, what's left (legal).

[Mosha]

We paid 260K for the 26 Rai our trees are on. Although it is Tor Bor 5 and most seem to feel don't buy, there is very little Charnote land round here. The famaily have never heard on any evictions for using the land. The land was semi cleared when we paid for it, so completed that and planted. That was about 5 years ago, so hopefully we can start to harvest next Christmas.

[stbkk]

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 Rubberman - and others!

This is great and very informative! I have a number of properties in the Bung Kan area - in total around 120 rai, half of which is in production now.I live remotely and have to trust 'family' that all is run reasonably. We pay the workers 40% of the production - that seems to work ok. Most live on the properties and have water and electricity provided.

A good tapper should do over 1,000 a night I believe - what do others think?

Being new to all this, what does the measure 'gpt' mean? What is a good average - is there such a thing?

Thanks for your help!

Hi all,

what a relief to find some help to try and decipher what the wife and her family are telling me!

Spent ages reading, now I just need to try and understand.

Does anybody have any idea as to what a reasonable price range is for land where the trees are just about to start producing or are in production is? The area would be around Nong Khai.

Thanks if you do!