Rubber Trees

[Hancho]

Hi cobbler,

Thanks for your wamly welcome! In Myanmar, we see Mons are pretty good at rubber . It is in their blood. But most of my workers are Karens from other province. It is labor shortage in Mon state, not as in the whole country though. A good percentage of people are in Thai. As I am originally from Yangon, we are used to whatever goes on here and certainly aware of land grap, but it has been a lot better than it used to be. I had bad experience with one of my employee. He claimed he had 20 year of experience under his belt and did a terrible job. It was mainly due his unattention to his job. I have to fire him and it cost me extra money. Other than that we just finished planting them with no other problem.

Han

[cobbler]

Hi cobbler,

Thanks for your wamly welcome! In Myanmar, we see Mons are pretty good at rubber . It is in their blood. But most of my workers are Karens from other province. It is labor shortage in Mon state, not as in the whole country though. A good percentage of people are in Thai. As I am originally from Yangon, we are used to whatever goes on here and certainly aware of land grap, but it has been a lot better than it used to be. I had bad experience with one of my employee. He claimed he had 20 year of experience under his belt and did a terrible job. It was mainly due his unattention to his job. I have to fire him and it cost me extra money. Other than that we just finished planting them with no other problem. Han

Han Thats awsome.Love what u r doing there..think myanmar has masive potential.I belive what u r saying about mon people being over here.millions of them on rubber farms here and fishing boats.and factories.I just love them.Shit on any other worker as far as rubber goes.

Great u are aware of the good and bad.I always try to tell our workers to save there money and buy land in myanmar put rubber on it.As I daid b4 most of them have land already with rubber on it. because it has a huge future if military can loosen up u bit.Cheap wsges cheap land.

Hows living sexpences compared to thai?Probably a lot cheaper I guess.Just dont get sic

Will watch you closely Mr Kahoonas

Regards Cobbler

Han

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Edited July 31, 2013 by cobbler

[cobbler]

Sorry i cut into your post tjere mr Han.Watever room u have spare.there are many things u can grow with yang to suplement income.If you have the rainfall and a market for it For sure u have th rainfall.you are south.We put ib bananas prik hom.which is a small chilli and pak wan.Dont know english name for that.These things all do well in shad.pakwan and small chillis do better in shade than full sun.Dont bother doing wat we did and plant them in seedling spots then transplant.This time of year is very wet.just throw the seeds in lines down the middle of th rubber trees.They will grow.We planted 5000 small chilli plants in rows between the rubber trees.NowMost of them are taller than me.

Also long beens short cucumber.Eggplant mangoes avocados..passionfruit.lime.

Maybe this is of help to you.

Regards cobbler

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Edited July 31, 2013 by cobbler

[IsaanAussie]

Thought you dooms day guys could use a boost from an authority on the subject. Anyway in his humble opinion ... (by email)

Just like the stock market, bears and bulls, Rubbers been round for 200 years and it not being replaced tomorrow.
Thatcher said it, the. market will decide and right now the market doesn't know if things are getting better or worse in the world.
All the doom and gloom numbers are predictions of a vast oversupply and decreasing demand. If you believe the world economy is on a bottomless downward spiral, then we are all f....d (in trouble)

Prices are about as low as they can go, Malaysia, number 2 rubber producer has already been cutting supply, labor is to expensive, so owners just stop tapping. If it goes much lower my workers will pack up for jobs in the city. Then there will be an under supply.

How long this bouncing along the bottom will go on is anyone's guess. Think it's about beer time now.

Edited July 31, 2013 by IsaanAussie

[Hancho]

Hi Cobbler,

You are right! Here we still get third world wages with a lot of untapped land. Not in the big city though. You probably heard Yangon real estate price is comparable to Tokyo. Well I rather allocate my resource into farming rubber which create jobs and business for shops by the plantation. Thanks to Thailand, Mon who come back from Thailand with their saving and they put them all into rubber farming. Now Mon state is the biggest rubber producing region even though it is relatively small province here.

[IsaanAussie]

Hi Cobbler,

You are right! Here we still get third world wages with a lot of untapped land. Not in the big city though. You probably heard Yangon real estate price is comparable to Tokyo. Well I rather allocate my resource into farming rubber which create jobs and business for shops by the plantation. Thanks to Thailand, Mon who come back from Thailand with their saving and they put them all into rubber farming. Now Mon state is the biggest rubber producing region even though it is relatively small province here.

Hancho, I am not a rubber farmer but I urge you to take heed of the development process Thailand has gone through to move from third world to developing nation. You might well create jobs and currently have plenty of applicants. Not so here in Thailand any more. 15 years ago over 75% of Thais worked in agriculture, today it is something like 40%. The country is urbanising as industry develops. The wage I have to pay a worker on my farm has doubled in 5 years. Every nation wants the Fords and the Bridgestone factories, it will happen for you too and if history teaches us something that transition is taking less time as the third world shrinks.

[IsaanAussie]

Hi Cobbler,

You are right! Here we still get third world wages with a lot of untapped land. Not in the big city though. You probably heard Yangon real estate price is comparable to Tokyo. Well I rather allocate my resource into farming rubber which create jobs and business for shops by the plantation. Thanks to Thailand, Mon who come back from Thailand with their saving and they put them all into rubber farming. Now Mon state is the biggest rubber producing region even though it is relatively small province here.

Hancho, I am not a rubber farmer but I urge you to take heed of the development process Thailand has gone through to move from third world to developing nation. You might well create jobs and currently have plenty of applicants. Not so here in Thailand any more. 15 years ago over 75% of Thais worked in agriculture, today it is something like 40%. The country is urbanising as industry develops. The wage I have to pay a worker on my farm has doubled in 5 years. Every nation wants the Fords and the Bridgestone factories, it will happen for you too and if history teaches us something that transition is taking less time as the third world shrinks.

[cobbler]

Hi Cobbler,

You are right! Here we still get third world wages with a lot of untapped land. Not in the big city though. You probably heard Yangon real estate price is comparable to Tokyo. Well I rather allocate my resource into farming rubber which create jobs and business for shops by the plantation. Thanks to Thailand, Mon who come back from Thailand with their saving and they put them all into rubber farming. Now Mon state is the biggest rubber producing region even though it is relatively small province here.

Thats great.Hav 1 mon family who work for my wifes aunty planted 3000 trees about 5 years ago.in the mon state.Think they want to do more.Some mon make good money.coz they tap down southern thai wear tje flow is pretty good for most of the year.So the smart ones can set themselves up pretty well.I can see some of them becoming Myanmars future rubber barons.If things go right for them politicaly.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[cobbler]

Hi Cobbler,

You are right! Here we still get third world wages with a lot of untapped land. Not in the big city though. You probably heard Yangon real estate price is comparable to Tokyo. Well I rather allocate my resource into farming rubber which create jobs and business for shops by the plantation. Thanks to Thailand, Mon who come back from Thailand with their saving and they put them all into rubber farming. Now Mon state is the biggest rubber producing region even though it is relatively small province here.

Thats great.Hav 1 mon family who work for my wifes aunty planted 3000 trees about 5 years ago.in the mon state.Think they want to do more.Some mon make good money.coz they tap down southern thai wear tje flow is pretty good for most of the year.So the smart ones can set themselves up pretty well.I can see some of them becoming Myanmars future rubber barons.If things go right for them politicaly.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[cobbler]

Hi Cobbler,

You are right! Here we still get third world wages with a lot of untapped land. Not in the big city though. You probably heard Yangon real estate price is comparable to Tokyo. Well I rather allocate my resource into farming rubber which create jobs and business for shops by the plantation. Thanks to Thailand, Mon who come back from Thailand with their saving and they put them all into rubber farming. Now Mon state is the biggest rubber producing region even though it is relatively small province here.

Thats great.Hav 1 mon family who work for my wifes aunty planted 3000 trees about 5 years ago.in the mon state.Think they want to do more.Some mon make good money.coz they tap down southern thai wear tje flow is pretty good for most of the year.So the smart ones can set themselves up pretty well.I can see some of them becoming Myanmars future rubber barons.If things go right for them politicaly.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Hancho]

Hi Cobbler

I just saw your foto posting as my slow Internet wouldn't show yesterday. I must say your trees look pretty good. I can tell they were well maintained over year. I also see you have been tapping rubber for several year. Is that your mon employee in the foto. Where is your plantation in Thai?

[cobbler]

Hi Cobbler

I just saw your foto posting as my slow Internet wouldn't show yesterday. I must say your trees look pretty good. I can tell they were well maintained over year. I also see you have been tapping rubber for several year. Is that your mon employee in the foto. Where is your plantation in Thai?

Hi Mr Kahoonas.

We only have Mon workers.This is 20 rai on flat land .Also have 24 rai on mountain.

We try to use good fertalizer and it is all going well.Have noticed an increase in weight of sheets this year.So must be a reflection on the pui oops fertalizer we think.yes we love our mon.We r away a lot and have faith in them.If somebody else said that I would never belive it.but its true.They kno there stuff.

We are just west of Bangsaphan.probably only about 10km from th border.If that.If you go to the tallest mountain you can see.Look to the east.Im the only farang you can see.Im the 1 with no hair.5555 lol.

Cheers Cibbler

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[cobbler]

Hi Cobbler

I just saw your foto posting as my slow Internet wouldn't show yesterday. I must say your trees look pretty good. I can tell they were well maintained over year. I also see you have been tapping rubber for several year. Is that your mon employee in the foto. Where is your plantation in Thai?

Hi Mr Kahoonas.

We only have Mon workers.This is 20 rai on flat land .Also have 24 rai on mountain.

We try to use good fertalizer and it is all going well.Have noticed an increase in weight of sheets this year.So must be a reflection on the pui oops fertalizer we think.yes we love our mon.We r away a lot and have faith in them.If somebody else said that I would never belive it.but its true.They kno there stuff.

We are just west of Bangsaphan.probably only about 10km from th border.If that.If you go to the tallest mountain you can see.Look to the east.Im the only farang you can see.Im the 1 with no hair.5555 lol.

Cheers Cibbler

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Hancho]

Hi cobbler

Your plantation's location is within 15' degree from equator and as far as the theory goes, the closer to the equator is the better condition for rubber trees. I really like to visit sometimes probably around summer time.

[Mosha]

Hi cobbler

Your plantation's location is within 15' degree from equator and as far as the theory goes, the closer to the equator is the better condition for rubber trees. I really like to visit sometimes probably around summer time.

Oh if it was that simple. I'm about 10* North of 0^, but also the wettest province. Many rain affected tapping days.

[Hancho]

I agree. There is a drawback too. I think we should follow Vietnam. They also tap in rainy season. But we also need technique and experience to do so. I saw one plantation try to do and the bark get wet even with rain guard.

Edited August 3, 2013 by Hancho

[scotbeve]

I agree. There is a drawback too. I think we should follow Vietnam. They also tap in rainy season. But we also need technique and experience to do so. I saw one plantation try to do and the bark get wet even with rain guard.

They've used rain guards in India for some time and there were some good reviews.... Perhaps some more research is needed as we're in the same predicament - not enough rain to start tapping, then too much rain to prevent tapping....

[Mosha]

I agree. There is a drawback too. I think we should follow Vietnam. They also tap in rainy season. But we also need technique and experience to do so. I saw one plantation try to do and the bark get wet even with rain guard.

They've used rain guards in India for some time and there were some good reviews.... Perhaps some more research is needed as we're in the same predicament - not enough rain to start tapping, then too much rain to prevent tapping....

Guards are ok if the rain is vertical

[scotbeve]

I agree. There is a drawback too. I think we should follow Vietnam. They also tap in rainy season. But we also need technique and experience to do so. I saw one plantation try to do and the bark get wet even with rain guard.

They've used rain guards in India for some time and there were some good reviews.... Perhaps some more research is needed as we're in the same predicament - not enough rain to start tapping, then too much rain to prevent tapping....

Guards are ok if the rain is vertical

Mosha,

Yep, must be.... saw some videos from India - heavy rain but vertical. Seems as of late that there has been more heavy winds in the upper north - wouldn't do us much good using guards up here.

[wijar]

I agree. There is a drawback too. I think we should follow Vietnam. They also tap in rainy season. But we also need technique and experience to do so. I saw one plantation try to do and the bark get wet even with rain guard.

They've used rain guards in India for some time and there were some good reviews.... Perhaps some more research is needed as we're in the same predicament - not enough rain to start tapping, then too much rain to prevent tapping....

Gents

It been a while that i wrote, but have kept a close eye on this blog. We are a medium size (stratin) operation on Phitsanulok with about 100 rai planted. I call that medium as i have seen comments about 20 rai and also about 1000 rai.

I read with interest this latest thread about "rain hoods" and use of these in india.Indeed more research is required in suitabilty and cost to see if it warrents investing in them. I believe that with we could do that together by grouping our resources to have this done/or do it ourselves.

I am not yet, trees are only 1 year old, but believe that we need to make the best use of our resources, our trees in this instance, to sustain our "(partial)retirement fund".

I am not sure how we could group to make this happen, as some of us are still gainfully employed in foreign lands. But i would be interested to have our farmer, read UIL, attend and support an effort.

The prices are nothing to wright home about, so we need to up the anual production in stead.

I am keen to find out if there is support for something like this "cooperation".

Wim

[thaiguzzi]

I've seen rain guards, cheap and expensive, none of them really work, the tappers don't like them as they get in the way. The cheapest were 60 baht each and crap. I've thought a bit out of the box about this, as we lose approx half our production days during a bad rainy season, this year bad, last year not so. The only way they will work is if the seal around the diameter of the tree really seals, and the only way i can think of is siliconing the contact area on each tree - time consuming and not cheap.

Mike.

[Mosha]

A friend of ours designed her own. Took over 1.5 mins just to touch the tree. She thought it was great, until I said multiply the time per tree by the number of trees. Your tapper won't use it.

If I had 150 Rai, I'd probably turn 50 rai to palm. Let the depot care for it.

Edited August 4, 2013 by Mosha

[IsaanAussie]

I've seen rain guards, cheap and expensive, none of them really work, the tappers don't like them as they get in the way. The cheapest were 60 baht each and crap. I've thought a bit out of the box about this, as we lose approx half our production days during a bad rainy season, this year bad, last year not so. The only way they will work is if the seal around the diameter of the tree really seals, and the only way i can think of is siliconing the contact area on each tree - time consuming and not cheap.

Mike.

Use Latex?

[scotbeve]

I agree. There is a drawback too. I think we should follow Vietnam. They also tap in rainy season. But we also need technique and experience to do so. I saw one plantation try to do and the bark get wet even with rain guard.

They've used rain guards in India for some time and there were some good reviews.... Perhaps some more research is needed as we're in the same predicament - not enough rain to start tapping, then too much rain to prevent tapping....

Gents

It been a while that i wrote, but have kept a close eye on this blog. We are a medium size (stratin) operation on Phitsanulok with about 100 rai planted. I call that medium as i have seen comments about 20 rai and also about 1000 rai.

I read with interest this latest thread about "rain hoods" and use of these in india.Indeed more research is required in suitabilty and cost to see if it warrents investing in them. I believe that with we could do that together by grouping our resources to have this done/or do it ourselves.

I am not yet, trees are only 1 year old, but believe that we need to make the best use of our resources, our trees in this instance, to sustain our "(partial)retirement fund".

I am not sure how we could group to make this happen, as some of us are still gainfully employed in foreign lands. But i would be interested to have our farmer, read UIL, attend and support an effort.

The prices are nothing to wright home about, so we need to up the anual production in stead.

I am keen to find out if there is support for something like this "cooperation".

Wim

Wim,

I don't know about the other folks on here or the (exact) sizes / quantities of their plantations, but this sounds like a feasible project if kept completely transparent and (of course) with a good amount of rubber farmers behind it. My sister-in-law is prez of the rubber growers assoc. in our district. Tho' she's a bit pessimistic at the moment as we had a really strong wind blow last month and they lost about 45 trees (mature and 3 yrs. into tapping).... I'll see what the general consensus is at the moment in our district. It will give an indicator of 3 other districts as well.

And yes, there is a general dark cloud over the rubber biz in our district but what are folks going to do about it? Stock and store (costs a bit if you're not careful or clever enough to do so...), overtap til' dry and sell the wood, sit and wait for the right time to tap and / or sell? Pick your scenario but please be careful and DO NOT depend on this as your primary source of income or pension.

Be well folks,

Scott B.

[scotbeve]

I've seen rain guards, cheap and expensive, none of them really work, the tappers don't like them as they get in the way. The cheapest were 60 baht each and crap. I've thought a bit out of the box about this, as we lose approx half our production days during a bad rainy season, this year bad, last year not so. The only way they will work is if the seal around the diameter of the tree really seals, and the only way i can think of is siliconing the contact area on each tree - time consuming and not cheap.

Mike.

Use Latex?

Issan Aussie and Wim,

Correct, use a very pliable, THICK latex seal at the top of the plastic umbrella sewn into the plastic. Or silicone strip. Fastened and tightened by a velcro strip - velcro strip and thread can be sealed with silicone sealant. It would only have to be moved (raised or lowered) once a few cuts(???). Ahhhhh... just luv engineering stuff!!!

Wim,

Ya' think anybody over your way or for that matter, anybody reading this, up for making rain guards here in the LOS????

[Hancho]

Scot , I feel sorry to hear about your trees.. When Nargis storm came in 1998, a lot of rubber plantation got flattened. I try to stay away from the same area when tropical storm can come in again. If everybody start tapping in the rain, I am comfortable doing it next yr since some of my trees are ready to be tapped.

[scotbeve]

Scot , I feel sorry to hear about your trees.. When Nargis storm came in 1998, a lot of rubber plantation got flattened. I try to stay away from the same area when tropical storm can come in again. If everybody start tapping in the rain, I am comfortable doing it next yr since some of my trees are ready to be tapped.

Hi Hancho,

It was my sister-in-law's trees that were ruined. We actually lost 8 out of 8,000.... whewwww! Still going to sell 40% of our plantations/land for sub-divisions.

[thaiguzzi]

Rain guards - you guys actually need to attempt this physically with your own hands on the bark of the tree ! I've tried it, and the only way to stop water getting past is with a semi permanent seal which sets into the bark's skin and all the tiny nooks and crannies. It aint easy, hence you never see rain guards here.

[wijar]

Rain guards - you guys actually need to attempt this physically with your own hands on the bark of the tree ! I've tried it, and the only way to stop water getting past is with a semi permanent seal which sets into the bark's skin and all the tiny nooks and crannies. It aint easy, hence you never see rain guards here.

Gents

It looks like I need to find some mature trees to do trials on. I am sure there is a solution, but need guinee pigs to trial ideas. Will have to wait till I have some longer periods in thailand. Luckily I have a few years yet (if any at all with the doom and gloom expressed in here) Planting 2500 trees this week, ordered and paid for them allready so no alternative, but to keep going!

May have to consider upping the antee, or stepping out, but am not prepared to the last one yet. Rather increase the are to 200 rai (I think)

Wim

[Hancho]

Wimm, I probably jumped in this rubber biz the same time like you. I bought about 3000 trees(5 year old) and start planting new this year. I plan to plant more next year. I think it is the right time to be in when price is down and by the time the trees are ready to be tapped and the price should pick up

Edited August 5, 2013 by Hancho