Rubber industry’s survival depends on certification, says academic

[snoop1130]

Rubber industry’s survival depends on certification, says academic

By BY NATION

 

 

A Kasetsart University academic has suggested several ways the Thai rubber industry could counter its current difficulties, including the use of studies by Thailand Science Research and Innovation.

 

“The government has to make this an urgent matter on the national agenda to improve the whole system of rubber farming so it can be properly certified,” said Assistant Professor Khwanchai Duangsathaporn, head of the Forest Management Department in the school’s Faculty of Forestry.

 

He was referring to wholesale buyers of Thai rubber and rubberwood trying to resell the products by using non-tariff barriers and the fact that the products are not recognised by the Forest Stewardship Council or Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification.

 

The lack of certification compounds other factors that have led to prices declining significantly for the past five years.

 

Large-scale overseas tyre company and furniture company this month announced a temporary moratorium on purchases of rubber and rubberwood if deforestation was involved in their production.

 

Firms in many countries have specifically banned the products from Thai plantations lacking the recognised certification.

 

Khwanchai urged the government to assign or establish an agency to deal with the ministries of Commerce and Foreign Affairs, the Rubber Authority of Thailand and universities regarding the industry’s shortcomings.

 

Certification would require farmers and business owners and the technology they use to be upgraded, he said. “Meanwhile, a Forest Management Standard for Thailand must be established on the basis of research recognised by the certifying organisations.”

 

Khwanchai said studies should be hastened regarding sound agricultural practices, both in the monoculture and polyculture forms of rubber farming in Thailand, so they can pass international quality checks within the next one or two years.

 

“The capacity of the plantations to manage their products also needs to improve to support market demands within those two years.”

 

Thailand’s biggest export market for rubber last year was China, but China has since recognised the need for international certification, even if it has promulgated no regulations as yet.

 

Khwanchai said only around 0.5 per cent of the total farming area in Thailand – 122,658 rai – is dedicated to certificated rubber farming.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30377681

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-10-23

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[Thian]

6 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Khwanchai said studies should be hastened regarding sound agricultural practices, both in the monoculture and polyculture forms of rubber farming in Thailand, so they can pass international quality checks within the next one or two years.

 

What kind of studies are they thinking of? What are sound agricultural practices for rubber? They water and fertilize them i think, what else can they do?

[Cadbury]

6 minutes ago, Thian said:

What kind of studies are they thinking of? What are sound agricultural practices for rubber? They water and fertilize them i think, what else can they do?

Shonky rubber growers add a chemical to the latex to make it harden more rapidly. The tyremakers are a wakeup to this because it affects the quality of the tyre rubber. Therefore Thai rubber is not not favoured by tyre producers. 

Another Thai greed own goal.

[Thian]

5 hours ago, Cadbury said:

Shonky rubber growers add a chemical to the latex to make it harden more rapidly. The tyremakers are a wakeup to this because it affects the quality of the tyre rubber. Therefore Thai rubber is not not favoured by tyre producers. 

Another Thai greed own goal.

That's called quality control...and yes i've heard that before, a big tire manufacturer dumped thailand for that reason. (i don't know if it's true though).

 

But this suggest something else than mixing the rubber with chemicals: Certification would require farmers and business owners and the technology they use to be upgraded, he said. “Meanwhile, a Forest Management Standard for Thailand must be established on the basis of research recognised by the certifying organisations.”

 

 

[Fred white]

About how long does it take for a tree to grow to about 8 ft. Just planted them in June and they are about 1 ft tall now I'm growing them because I like the way they look not worried about tapping them

[Bosse137]

Agricultural practices they say.I have heard words like that before,but never heard any examples of what it means. You cut the tree,only one way to do that- you collect the latex in a cup and you add a few drops of acid to stabilize it.That`s it ! If you do not add the acid,it will take forever to harden,and in the meantime,any small rainshower will take it away. To collect it in big containers is not practical either,and would make everything very complicated in ways,that I do not go in to.To sell it,when it is soft,you get a lower price,because it contains a lot of water. Why don`t  the experts just tell what to do in practical terms.If they know......

[Bosse137]

1 hour ago, Fred white said:

About how long does it take for a tree to grow to about 8 ft. Just planted them in June and they are about 1 ft tall now I'm growing them because I like the way they look not worried about tapping them

It takes about 5 to 7 years,depending on how well you take care of them.

[Fred white]

57 minutes ago, Bosse137 said:

It takes about 5 to 7 years,depending on how well you take care of them.

Thanks I water them and fertilize with pig manure

[Dellboy218]

3 hours ago, Cadbury said:

Shonky rubber growers add a chemical to the latex to make it harden more rapidly. The tyremakers are a wakeup to this because it affects the quality of the tyre rubber. Therefore Thai rubber is not not favoured by tyre producers. 

Another Thai greed own goal.

Formic acid and then smoked. 

[Srikcir]

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The lack of certification compounds other factors that have led to prices declining significantly for the past five years.

The government couldn't pass a Rice Bill that would impose a ban on uncertified paddy seeds and the requirement that rice mills issue paddy-purchase papers clearly specifying rice varieties, weight, quality and moisture content. Offenders face a fine of up to Bt100,000 and/or one year in jail, under the draft law.

• “Farmers should not be forced to change their way of life,” - Daoruang Puechpol, the chair of a community agricultural enterprise
• “In fact, the government should create opportunities for farmers to manage their own affairs, such as improving their own rice varieties,” Ubon Yuwa, coordinator for the Network of Northeast Alternative Agriculture

New law will restrict traditional ways: farmers, https://www.nationthailand.com/national/30364155

Good luck in passing a similar bill for rubber.

 

[hotchilli]

16 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Firms in many countries have specifically banned the products from Thai plantations lacking the recognised certification.

Welcome to the real world... get smart or get out !

[Thian]

15 hours ago, Dellboy218 said:

Formic acid and then smoked. 

So in short: if the government told all rubber farmers to not mix formic acid in the latex the large companies might return to buy their rubber.

 

It seems the thai shot themselves in the foot....again...i bet they've been warned before.

[VocalNeal]

from memory and watching this they use Vineagar but I've been wrong before...

 

 

[donnacha]

Another sad but predictable consequence of the crackdown on sex tourism.

[overherebc]

13 hours ago, Bosse137 said:

Agricultural practices they say.I have heard words like that before,but never heard any examples of what it means. You cut the tree,only one way to do that- you collect the latex in a cup and you add a few drops of acid to stabilize it.That`s it ! If you do not add the acid,it will take forever to harden,and in the meantime,any small rainshower will take it away. To collect it in big containers is not practical either,and would make everything very complicated in ways,that I do not go in to.To sell it,when it is soft,you get a lower price,because it contains a lot of water. Why don`t  the experts just tell what to do in practical terms.If they know......

QA as opposed to QC.

QA involves a panel of people

( experts ???? ) who sit down and discuss things for a week or more and eventually produce enough printed paperwork (small forest gone)

with all the rules that 'if' followed will ensure a good product. Incredibly overpaid experts then read it and come up with a list of changes required and after a few to and fro' meetings the company gets a certificate ISO  DIN etc to pin on the wall and a big banner to hang on the wall outside. Rinse and repeat every year.

QA effectively, almost, killed off good QC where people would monitor and check products throughout production especially in fabrication industries where because the company was 'Certified' checking physically became reduced in the % done. eg 100% of welds tested for cracks reduced to 10% and if that 10% pass then the rest must be ok because the company is 'certified'.

The same system is applied across the board of all types of productions.

Hand a rubber farmer an 800 page QA manual or test each one of his containers and give him back or downgrade the failures and see which one is more effective.

[Thian]

Last i week i read that recycling old tires is big business now in India....there are official companies doing it but also many locals who do it in their garden which is very polluting.

 

Those tires are sent from the UK to India but i bet they don't know (or care) how polluting that is.

[Assurancetourix]

16 hours ago, Bosse137 said:

It takes about 5 to 7 years,depending on how well you take care of them.

I will write rather 6 to 7 years;
in any case, a tree must not be pruned before its circumference is at least 23 cm.
If you start to prune a tree that is too young you greatly reduce it life and also the amount of seve it could give.
a tree gives good seve from the age of about 7 to about 35 years ...

[Redline]

It’s time they realize how the world market works-nobody will buy substandard goods, and many want sustainable practices these days 

[Bosse137]

Instead of saying dont do this,don`t do that`;if these experts know how to do things,in REAL LIFE,do not keep it secret! Go out in a few villages in some different areas and show how to do,and I can guaranti,that if it is viabel,the practise will spread like wildfire!  I openly wellcome you,experts,to my wife`s farm,where you can educate us! Though,I want to tip you already,that what works on paper or in labaratories,doesn`t always work in the real setting.I can also assure people,that if the farmers don`t have to mix in some little acid,they wouldn`t do it;cost money and manpower to do so.

[Fred white]

4 hours ago, Assurancetourix said:

I will write rather 6 to 7 years;
in any case, a tree must not be pruned before its circumference is at least 23 cm.
If you start to prune a tree that is too young you greatly reduce it life and also the amount of seve it could give.
a tree gives good seve from the age of about 7 to about 35 years ...

In my post I stated that I was not interested in tapping the trees l just like the way they look what happens if I don't prune them I only have 100

[Thian]

9 hours ago, Redline said:

It’s time they realize how the world market works-nobody will buy substandard goods, and many want sustainable practices these days 

Yes, but what will a certification guarantee? That the farmer promised not to mix acid with the latex? And who guarantee's that he also won't do that next year? What's the deal? Will they get harsh punishment if they start mixing it later with the certification in the pocket?

[Redline]

3 hours ago, Thian said:

Yes, but what will a certification guarantee? That the farmer promised not to mix acid with the latex? And who guarantee's that he also won't do that next year? What's the deal? Will they get harsh punishment if they start mixing it later with the certification in the pocket?

I don’t know the process, but it seems there are a few different international certifications, and I’m sure they test everything and visit the production countries?