Rubber Trees

[kolohe]

As for your questions regarding reducing labor costs. In the first part of your post you mention the 50-50 split (sometimes its 60-40). Unless you plan on paying your tappers an hourly rate (which creates its own issues), 50% of a B20,000 yield for a weeks tapping is the same whether its tapped once a week or 2-on, 1-off.

I apologize if it is an overly obvious observation. I didn't see any other labor arrangements mentioned in your post.

-k

[Mosha]

Just to add my wife's opinion on tapping. 50-50 split the tappers contribute to feeding the trees, 40-60 maybe contributing but at a lesser rate. We use a Burmese tapper, she says Thai's are too unreliable and are lazy sods. That's from a Thai lol.

[Mark1971]

Just to add my wife's opinion on tapping. 50-50 split the tappers contribute to feeding the trees, 40-60 maybe contributing but at a lesser rate. We use a Burmese tapper, she says Thai's are too unreliable and are lazy sods. That's from a Thai lol.

Thanks I have long wondered why the split with the tappers can differ.

I tried to post my Excel calculations into my previous post but it didn't work, so I will try to summarise my idea below.

My calculation is based upon the figures from the Bandung Life Blog.

The assumption is 40% of income is payed to the tappers, fertiliser & maintenance costs are payed by the plantation owner.

Calculation is based upon 50 Rai @ 300Kg annual latex yield per Rai.

Tapping frequency is assumed to be Tap 2 rest 1.

Price per Kg = 55 Bt

Gross Income = 825,000 Bt

Income minus 40% = 495,000 Bt

Fertiliser Cost = 170,000 Bt

Plantation owners return = 325,000 Bt / Year

If the tapping frequency is changed to Tap 1 rest 3. (Using Ethephon stimulation).

The number of tappers can be reduced by 62.5 %, therefore the tappers % split can be reduced, while maintaining the individual income of each of the remaining tappers.

The tappers don't work any harder they just visit each tree far less frequently & can therefore look after a lot more trees.

It is assumed that the yield will drop to 85% of that achieved using the conventional tapping system.

Price per Kg = 55 Bt

Gross Income 85% Yield = 701,250 Bt

Income minus 18% = 575,000 Bt

Fertiliser Cost = 170,000 Bt

Plantation owners return = 405,000 Bt / Year

My information comes from the Sri Lankan research information linked in my earlier posts, I was just wondering what people with practical experience think of the low frequency tapping idea.

Aditionally my wife is planning on using RRIT 226 trees on her sloping land & RRIT 251 trees on her flat land.

This is based upon the excellent Para Rubber guides issued by the Thai Rubber Institute http://www.rubberthai.com/rubberthai/

If anyone has any practical experience with either of these trees it would be appreciated.

[Mark1971]

Just to add my wife's opinion on tapping. 50-50 split the tappers contribute to feeding the trees, 40-60 maybe contributing but at a lesser rate. We use a Burmese tapper, she says Thai's are too unreliable and are lazy sods. That's from a Thai lol.

My wife agrees with your wife about not employing Thai's, she is going to employ Akah people from her village.

They are trained from birth in the virtues of hard work & honesty by the American Christian missionaries.

My wife's exact phrase regarding employing Thai people was: "Why would I ask a cat to deliver a fish"

[kolohe]

My wife's exact phrase regarding employing Thai people was: "Why would I ask a cat to deliver a fish"

I love it! That is funny.

I don't have any experience with what you're trying to do, all I can offer is some thoughts based on what I've experienced.

Thais seem to like to do things the way they've always done them. When things are done out of the traditional way, they can get suspicious... especially regarding money. I would think that if they were told they are getting some lower percentage than the typical arrangements then they would start to think that you're some how ripping them off. You could try to explain it to them with the spreadsheets and such but in my experience its hard to explain concepts like that and they would just focus on the % they are getting. I could be totally wrong and you may be able to pull it off, if you can more power too you. I just have not seen much success in trying to get someone to think differently there.

I think Jim also has some experience with this. In one of these threads he talked about trying to get the locals to sell him liquid latex instead of making cup rubber. Doing so would also net the farmers more money. It required the local farmers to embrace a different approach to selling rubber. Needless to say, they are still selling cup.

-k

[Mark1971]

My wife's exact phrase regarding employing Thai people was: "Why would I ask a cat to deliver a fish"

I love it! That is funny.

I don't have any experience with what you're trying to do, all I can offer is some thoughts based on what I've experienced.

Thais seem to like to do things the way they've always done them. When things are done out of the traditional way, they can get suspicious... especially regarding money. I would think that if they were told they are getting some lower percentage than the typical arrangements then they would start to think that you're some how ripping them off. You could try to explain it to them with the spreadsheets and such but in my experience its hard to explain concepts like that and they would just focus on the % they are getting. I could be totally wrong and you may be able to pull it off, if you can more power too you. I just have not seen much success in trying to get someone to think differently there.

I think Jim also has some experience with this. In one of these threads he talked about trying to get the locals to sell him liquid latex instead of making cup rubber. Doing so would also net the farmers more money. It required the local farmers to embrace a different approach to selling rubber. Needless to say, they are still selling cup.

-k

Kolohe you are right, the tappers will think I am trying to rip them off as they will only remember the %.

From my experience Thai people never tell each other the real numbers when they talk about what they bought / earn etc.

The tappers will have a bigger face & be happier if they can say to their friends that they make 50%, even if their income after costs is less than it may have been.

If Mosha's arrangement of a 50/50 split, with the tappers responsible for weeding & fertilizing is the standard that is what I will advise the wife to do.

What is the normal size of plantation each family of tappers can look after?

I was thinking 10 Rai, but I am not sure.

[Mosha]

Our guy is doing 800 trees currently should be 1400 next year. He is teaching his wife, and he reckons they can manage it. The terrain is steep. We tap 2 rest 1, weather permitting but lets not go there lol. (I have to laugh cos otherwise I'd be crying my eyes out this year.)

[tothemark]

Last week we sold at 91b per kilo mats. Glad we did, cup then went down to 100b per three kilos and now they wont buy cup, similar to Jim's area.

Building up mats at the moment, bottom end for us will be 80bht a kilo below which we might as well store.

Bit of a p***** really as this is the most productive time for the trees normally doubling the yield.

[AA1]

Many Thai rubber farmers around here started tapping earlier this year, when the price shot up, on trees which were too small. They (including her brother!) tried to persuade my wife to do so as well. Much to my delight she refused to do so and said 'next year'.

Now the price has collapsed, for future reference, can you advise me how long you can store:-

1). Cup rubber

and

2). Rubber mats

before the quality deteriorates?

Is it the same or do mats last longer?

I obviously know that when we start we will have no option but to deal in Cup rubber but useful to know for when the quality of latex improves.

Obviously if the price is reasonable we would sell straight away but when we suffer a similar situation in the future, if we can afford to, better to keep the tappers happy by compromising on a price and storing for later when the price goes up again.

With rice this year, the price around here stood at about B13/kilo for most of the year but worth the hold as in the end we got B2 1/2 per kilo more. Obviously we could not afford to wait that long for rubber to go up BUT useful to know how long we could, if desperate, store rubber for.

Many thanks for any advise.

AA1

[jamescollister]

How long can you keep rubber, is a bit like how long you can keep any organic product. The storing conditions are what dictates the time. I think we could keep RSS in the drying/smoking shed for around a year, cup a lot less. Even the smoked sheet will start growing mildew in a few weeks when the humidity is high, but you can wash them before you sell. Jim

[fezzy]

Rang rubber co-op today and there are buying sheets for 70 Baht now. Time to build a bigger shed to store my sheets until price rises again . Soon hopefully No point selling at a loss.

[jamescollister]

Rang rubber co-op today and there are buying sheets for 70 Baht now. Time to build a bigger shed to store my sheets until price rises again . Soon hopefully No point selling at a loss.

Think you are getting ripped off, we sold a small amount today RSS grade 1 to 3 , 84 Baht a kilo. Pays to shop around. Jim

[Mark1971]

My wife plans to purchase and plant her Rubber trees next year.

One key question is which tree clone should she buy.

Currently she is planning RRIT 226 on sloping land, RRIT 251 on flat land.

Her land is about 1 hour North of Chiang Rai, 80% of the land is moderately sloping, 20% of her land is flat.

She will need about 16,000 trees so it's important she selects the right trees.

Rubber trees are a very recent development in Chiang Rai, the only trees currently being tapped in the area are RRIM 600.

My basic understanding of the 3 tree clones above is as follows:

RRIM 600. Tried and tested for many years, suitable on sloping & flat ground, 290Kg latex / year.

RRIT 226. Newer clone developed by Thai research institute, suitable on sloping & flat ground, 345Kg latex / year.

RRIT 251. Newer clone developed by Thai research institute, not suitable on sloping land 440Kg latex / year.

I am very interested in the new JVP80 clones but can't find any research / actual experience relating to this tree.

The JVP80 claims to yield 500 Kg of latex / year & have an extended 35 year tapping life.

I can't find any information regarding suitability in Northern Thailand, suitability on sloping ground, disease resistance, actual latex yield etc.

I think some of the members have already planted this tree, if they have any feedback it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Mark

[jamescollister]

My wife plans to purchase and plant her Rubber trees next year.

One key question is which tree clone should she buy.

Currently she is planning RRIT 226 on sloping land, RRIT 251 on flat land.

Her land is about 1 hour North of Chiang Rai, 80% of the land is moderately sloping, 20% of her land is flat.

She will need about 16,000 trees so it's important she selects the right trees.

Rubber trees are a very recent development in Chiang Rai, the only trees currently being tapped in the area are RRIM 600.

My basic understanding of the 3 tree clones above is as follows:

RRIM 600. Tried and tested for many years, suitable on sloping & flat ground, 290Kg latex / year.

RRIT 226. Newer clone developed by Thai research institute, suitable on sloping & flat ground, 345Kg latex / year.

RRIT 251. Newer clone developed by Thai research institute, not suitable on sloping land 440Kg latex / year.

I am very interested in the new JVP80 clones but can't find any research / actual experience relating to this tree.

The JVP80 claims to yield 500 Kg of latex / year & have an extended 35 year tapping life.

I can't find any information regarding suitability in Northern Thailand, suitability on sloping ground, disease resistance, actual latex yield etc.

I think some of the members have already planted this tree, if they have any feedback it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Mark

Hi Mark, know nothing about 226 trees, first I have heard of them. 251s fall over in the wind. How windy is it where you are, I am nor talking constant gales. One good blow can flatten a plantation. Tothemark is they only one I know of who is giving the JVPs a try.

Think best you go to the local Agro dept. and ask them what's working in your area. They may not be the sharpest tools in the box. but at least they know what's falling over and what's not. Jim

[tothemark]

My wife plans to purchase and plant her Rubber trees next year.

One key question is which tree clone should she buy.

Currently she is planning RRIT 226 on sloping land, RRIT 251 on flat land.

Her land is about 1 hour North of Chiang Rai, 80% of the land is moderately sloping, 20% of her land is flat.

She will need about 16,000 trees so it's important she selects the right trees.

Rubber trees are a very recent development in Chiang Rai, the only trees currently being tapped in the area are RRIM 600.

My basic understanding of the 3 tree clones above is as follows:

RRIM 600. Tried and tested for many years, suitable on sloping & flat ground, 290Kg latex / year.

RRIT 226. Newer clone developed by Thai research institute, suitable on sloping & flat ground, 345Kg latex / year.

RRIT 251. Newer clone developed by Thai research institute, not suitable on sloping land 440Kg latex / year.

I am very interested in the new JVP80 clones but can't find any research / actual experience relating to this tree.

The JVP80 claims to yield 500 Kg of latex / year & have an extended 35 year tapping life.

I can't find any information regarding suitability in Northern Thailand, suitability on sloping ground, disease resistance, actual latex yield etc.

I think some of the members have already planted this tree, if they have any feedback it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Mark

Hi Mark, know nothing about 226 trees, first I have heard of them. 251s fall over in the wind. How windy is it where you are, I am nor talking constant gales. One good blow can flatten a plantation. Tothemark is they only one I know of who is giving the JVPs a try.

Think best you go to the local Agro dept. and ask them what's working in your area. They may not be the sharpest tools in the box. but at least they know what's falling over and what's not. Jim

Hi Jim/Mark,

We have about 10 rai of JVP80 growing now. It grows pretty quick thats for sure, its more expensive and buy only from a registered seller of the strain. My cousin in So Phisai has just bought some as well and they bought it directly from Malaysia and had it delivered direct. Better to do that rather than going through a government supplier such as we did, its quicker and knowing them it would have been cheaper.lol

But first, Mark, take a step back and consider what you are doing, my inlaws lived around Lampang and Mae Mao in Northern Thailand for many years before moving back to Isaan. My knowledge of that area is that there is very little rubber grown there and you have to ask the question why. Thais arent stupid, if they see an opportunity they copy it, so i would undertake some serious market research as to why they dont grow rubber in significant quantity in the North. My initial assumption would be that the temperate climate in the North especially Chiang Rai does not lend itself to profitable yields from the trees.

If you do go ahead with it and 200 rai is going to cost you circa 40,000bht per rai before you tap, (trees, fertilizer etc) you need to be very careful or you could lose a bucket load. Personally, I would spend time determining what strain is best suited to the climate of the north, not getting it right could break the project.

[AA1]

How long can you keep rubber, is a bit like how long you can keep any organic product. The storing conditions are what dictates the time. I think we could keep RSS in the drying/smoking shed for around a year, cup a lot less. Even the smoked sheet will start growing mildew in a few weeks when the humidity is high, but you can wash them before you sell. Jim

Thanks Jim,

Rather as I imagined. Depends very much on storage conditions.

As Fezzy had mentioned storage earlier, I felt it would be useful for the ignorant like myself to find out about it.

Needless to say, no prices quoted on boards down here.

I gather nobody will buy cup rubber - Rubber sheets only but wife did not know price. Will try to find out.

[jamescollister]

Sometimes I think I have been here too long and have started to turn Thai in my thinking process. Last night while having a few cold ones and nursing my sore head, where I had 6 stitches removed, I was bemoaning my approaching poverty. Up to Buddha, live in the moment, she'll be right mate. When it hit me, for years I have been trying to get the locals to sell me latex, but alas percentages and tests are a scam to them. Well the locals can't sell there cup anymore and if they can get a buyer it's 25 Baht a kilo. This is an opportunity to get them over to latex.

Got the important people, wife and foreman [bIL] told them we were going into the latex business again. Then the excuses started. We have no money, good point, but we have rubber, sell some. The workers will be too tired from there own tapping and sheet making to do other peoples rubber, hire more help on a day by day deal. They kept up the why we can't until, the one was we haven't enough bamboo pole to hang the rubber to dry.

It's worth the try so I said spread the word 50 Baht a kilo for latex. Will have to see if we get any takers or for that matter that the word is put out. Just seems no one is interested in doing more then the bare minimum needed yo live, but as I said to the wife, rubber is down over $2 a kilo and this month we will sell between 2500 and 3000 kilos. That's a big loss, will keep my fingers crossed. Jim

[Mosha]

That sounds good Jim. The price of sheets does seem to have come back a bit. Talked to a friend last night who said it was 85 Baht. I laughed at the not enough bamboo, tell them they can come down here for some

[fezzy]

Cheers Jim for the heads up but there are not too many places to shop around over in the Sukhothai area as it is just taking off over here. Saying that, this area is going to kick off in a big way soon , as there are alot of rubber farmers from Chumpon buying up huge land , one owner has bought and planted 800 Rai, hopefully when they start cutting they'll open their own sale point and we will have competitor to sell to

It sounds like we should start a separate thread solely for weekly / montly gate buying prices for rubber sheets and location of these sales to get an idea of the different prices getting paid around the country

[jamescollister]

Cheers Jim for the heads up but there are not too many places to shop around over in the Sukhothai area as it is just taking off over here. Saying that, this area is going to kick off in a big way soon , as there are alot of rubber farmers from Chumpon buying up huge land , one owner has bought and planted 800 Rai, hopefully when they start cutting they'll open their own sale point and we will have competitor to sell to

It sounds like we should start a separate thread solely for weekly / montly gate buying prices for rubber sheets and location of these sales to get an idea of the different prices getting paid around the country

Fezzy, if in doubt when selling sheet, sell to the Government. There are 2 agencies that buy, they set their price by the afternoon auction sales. So say RSS sells at auction for 90 Baht they pay about 8 baht below that price. The Government buyers come around every 2 weeks and set up shop somewhere, you just have to ask where. Jim

[Gippy]

46.8 baht for dry cup here today, about 45 minutes from Bueng Gan. Pleased to get that after reading the reports on here over the past few days.

[Mark1971]

My wife plans to purchase and plant her Rubber trees next year.

One key question is which tree clone should she buy.

Currently she is planning RRIT 226 on sloping land, RRIT 251 on flat land.

Her land is about 1 hour North of Chiang Rai, 80% of the land is moderately sloping, 20% of her land is flat.

She will need about 16,000 trees so it's important she selects the right trees.

Rubber trees are a very recent development in Chiang Rai, the only trees currently being tapped in the area are RRIM 600.

My basic understanding of the 3 tree clones above is as follows:

RRIM 600. Tried and tested for many years, suitable on sloping & flat ground, 290Kg latex / year.

RRIT 226. Newer clone developed by Thai research institute, suitable on sloping & flat ground, 345Kg latex / year.

RRIT 251. Newer clone developed by Thai research institute, not suitable on sloping land 440Kg latex / year.

I am very interested in the new JVP80 clones but can't find any research / actual experience relating to this tree.

The JVP80 claims to yield 500 Kg of latex / year & have an extended 35 year tapping life.

I can't find any information regarding suitability in Northern Thailand, suitability on sloping ground, disease resistance, actual latex yield etc.

I think some of the members have already planted this tree, if they have any feedback it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Mark

Hi Mark, know nothing about 226 trees, first I have heard of them. 251s fall over in the wind. How windy is it where you are, I am nor talking constant gales. One good blow can flatten a plantation. Tothemark is they only one I know of who is giving the JVPs a try.

Think best you go to the local Agro dept. and ask them what's working in your area. They may not be the sharpest tools in the box. but at least they know what's falling over and what's not. Jim

Hi Jim/Mark,

We have about 10 rai of JVP80 growing now. It grows pretty quick thats for sure, its more expensive and buy only from a registered seller of the strain. My cousin in So Phisai has just bought some as well and they bought it directly from Malaysia and had it delivered direct. Better to do that rather than going through a government supplier such as we did, its quicker and knowing them it would have been cheaper.lol

But first, Mark, take a step back and consider what you are doing, my inlaws lived around Lampang and Mae Mao in Northern Thailand for many years before moving back to Isaan. My knowledge of that area is that there is very little rubber grown there and you have to ask the question why. Thais arent stupid, if they see an opportunity they copy it, so i would undertake some serious market research as to why they dont grow rubber in significant quantity in the North. My initial assumption would be that the temperate climate in the North especially Chiang Rai does not lend itself to profitable yields from the trees.

If you do go ahead with it and 200 rai is going to cost you circa 40,000bht per rai before you tap, (trees, fertilizer etc) you need to be very careful or you could lose a bucket load. Personally, I would spend time determining what strain is best suited to the climate of the north, not getting it right could break the project.

Thanks for the reply's.

I am confident that the climate in Chiang Rai is suitable for Rubber trees.

I think the reason that Chiang Rai historically didn't have many rubber trees, is because the locals always believed that the climate wasn't suitable.

As you say the Thais are prolific copiers.

Over the last 10 years that I have been visiting the MIL's village there has been an explosion in Rubber plantations.

10 years ago no one was planting Rubber trees, Today >50% of the land around the village is planted with Rubber trees.

The small number of people who have started tapping are said to be very happy with the results.

We are still in the UK and will be for at least the next 8 years, so there is no rush with this project.

We have decided not to plant the trees for at least another couple of years.

The wife spoke to the MIL Yesterday & told her to use the land to plant corn (or whatever other cash crop the MIL thinks is suitable).

They agreed to split the profits 50/50.

It will be a new experience to have funds transferred from Thailand to the UK.(No one will be amazed more than me if it ever happens).

There are a couple of reasons we have decided not to plant the trees yet.

1. We are not in Thailand to oversee the major long term investment required to plant & look after the trees.

2. We think that now is a good time to buy some more land at a reasonable price & any cash the wife has would be better allocated to this.

A lot of the locals are experiencing major cash flow problems, as it is 7 years of ongoing investment until they see any return.

Many are getting to 4 or 5 years & are now selling their spare land to look after their trees.

3. I want to wait another 3 years to see how the latest tree clones develop in the real world.

As well as the JVP80, there are new high yield latex / timber clones from Malaysia RRIM 2025, RRIM 2027, RRIM 3001 which were released in 2009.

They are claiming 4 years until tapping commences & >500Kg of rubber / Rai each year.

Thanks

Mark

[barrybike]

40,000 baht per rai before you tap the rubber seems a bit high .. i reckon i spend about 5000 euro a year on keeping my trees in order (16,000 trees) ..fertilizer is expensive now ...this year we are going to use organic fertilizer its 950 baht a bag .its recommended for 4 to 5 year old trees ..ill be buying 50 bags of it ...(would u believe the main ingredient in it is bat manure) ..the first few years was more costly as we used fertilizer 3 times a year ...then paying someone to do the tractor work for fire protection can be expensive too plus spray ...the plan in the next few weeks is to grow banana plants right around the borders of our land...act as fire barriers and seperates lands like a fence kind of way ....i also built a small house on the land for worker(foreman) to stay in in the future etc ..this cost about 4 000 euros to finish.pic of it below ...so i suppose initally getting everything set up does cost quiet a bit ..jim buying the rubber from local farmers is a good idea ...my sister in law is doing this for the last few years and she makes a tidy profit from it ...she makes 2 baht per kilo profit ...she buys all the shit rubber as they call it from locals ..they arrive on their bikes with a bag of lumpy rubber and she weighs it and pays them there and then ..they are happy to get cash in hand ..then when she has a load she goes into the factory in town in her pick up and sells it to them ..price today down south thailand was 46 baht for shit rubber ...and 90 baht for the good stuff towels ...

[tothemark]

Mark, My opinion for what its worth is, dont go for the strain that produces the highest yield on the assumption that even in the North a high yield strain will give a reasonable yield. As you say they are only just tapping in your area so yield figures cannot be relied upon. Just because you have a good looking thick trunk tree does not guarantee that it will give a good yield.

All those strains are best suited to different soils, height above sea level, temperate types, rainfall and drought types. Yes in Thailand especially in Isaan you can just about bang anything in and it will work reasonably well, Chiang Rai, needs a bit of homework, i wouldnt follow the herd.

Hi Barry, yeah my figure is high, but on 7 years with compound interest applied im not far from the Mark, to coin a phrase, Jim do you have your figures to hand based upon todays prices to confirm this?

We have used that "bat fertiliser" the sh i t obviously has a high nitrogen content, do we rate it ? no. Would we use it again ? no. Lot of myths about that one, but we had to have a go as well, lol

[jamescollister]

Mark, My opinion for what its worth is, dont go for the strain that produces the highest yield on the assumption that even in the North a high yield strain will give a reasonable yield. As you say they are only just tapping in your area so yield figures cannot be relied upon. Just because you have a good looking thick trunk tree does not guarantee that it will give a good yield.

All those strains are best suited to different soils, height above sea level, temperate types, rainfall and drought types. Yes in Thailand especially in Isaan you can just about bang anything in and it will work reasonably well, Chiang Rai, needs a bit of homework, i wouldnt follow the herd.

Hi Barry, yeah my figure is high, but on 7 years with compound interest applied im not far from the Mark, to coin a phrase, Jim do you have your figures to hand based upon todays prices to confirm this?

We have used that "bat fertiliser" the sh i t obviously has a high nitrogen content, do we rate it ? no. Would we use it again ? no. Lot of myths about that one, but we had to have a go as well, lol

How much does it all cost I would put it at around 60,000 a rai. Think I posted about the guy who told me I was way out and he sent me his numbers. He was under the impression that his in laws were going to work for free, give him their pick up truck and borrow tractors. They would do everything except buy the fertilizer. Every thing costs and when you start adding the costs up it gets bigger and bigger. Tires for the pick up truck are 5,000 each, it never ends. Jim

[barrybike]

hi jim , what do u reckon on that fertilizer ??? is it no good u reckon ....cheers barry

[jamescollister]

hi jim , what do u reckon on that fertilizer ??? is it no good u reckon ....cheers barry

Hi Barry, afraid I don;t really follow what you are asking. Jim

[Mark1971]

I have pasted a document I found interesting below.

This explains the development of Rubber trees in Malaysia over the last 90 years, and explains their plans for the future.

This document is a couple of years old & the latest trees are the RRIM 3000 series clones. (For ease of understanding the numbers 1 Ha = 6.5 Rai).

Systematic breeding and selection works of rubber clones to improve productivity has

been an ongoing process in the Malaysian Rubber Board for almost nine decades.

Since it embarked on the process, six series of clones with a total of 185 clones had been

developed and recommended to the industry under the names RRIM 500 (1928-1931),

RRIM 600 (1937-1941), RRIM 700 (1947-1958), RRIM 800 (1959-1965), RRIM 900

(1966-1973) and RRIM 2000 (1974 till now) series clones.

Some of these clones are also widely planted in other rubber growing countries.

The success of the rubber breeding programme can be seen from the multifold yield

increase, from about 500 kg/ha/year for unselected seedlings to about 3,000 kg/ha/year in

the modern clones.

In the past, greater emphasis was given to produce high latex yielding clones, giving rise

to a spectacular increase in yield.

This was considered amazing given the narrow genetic base of the breeding population

and this was achieved within two to three cycles of breeding and selection.

But it could not be sustained largely due to the narrow genetic base.

With the introduction of new genetic materials from Brazil in the 1950s in the

development of the RRIM 900 and RRIM 2000 series clones have successfully increased

the yield potential to about 3,000 kg per ha per year.

In recent years rubberwood furniture gained wide acceptance by domestic and foreign

consumers after rubberwood was accepted as alternative timber to the natural forest

species.

Rubber breeding and selection has now been re-emphasised to produce rubber clones

with high latex content as well as rubber wood, known as latex-timber clones.

Clones that were developed recently are RRIM 928, RRIM 929, RRIM 2001, RRIM

2002, RRIM 2007, RRIM 2008, RRIM 2009, RRIM 2014, RRIM 2015, RRIM 2016,

RRIM 2020, RRIM 2023, RRIM 2024, RRIM 2025, RRIM 2025, RRIM 2026, RRIM

2027, RRIM 2029 and RRIM 2033.

Some of the promising latex timber clones being developed in the breeding programme

for the next Planting Recommendations include KT 39/35, L 7/2, D 9/12, N 25/1, R 30/9,

OR 23 and X 28/1.

Every three years, planting recommendations are updated to provide new information on

the availability, status, and performance of the planting materials for the rubber plantation

industry.

Currently, the clones in the LGM Planting Recommendations are categorised in two

groups i.e. Group 1 and Group 2. Group 2 clones are further subdivided into Group 2A

and Group 2B. Within the group, the clones are divided into latex-timber clones and latex

clones in relation to their rubber and wood productivity.

Rubber growers, nursery operators and implementing agencies are advised to refer to the

latest planting recommendations.

The Group 1 consists of high yielding clones based on at least five years yield data on

panel BO-I and two years on panel BO-II with desirable secondary characteristics in

large scale trials in different environmental conditions. These clones are recommended

for commercial planting in estates and smallholdings without any restriction. It comprises

10 latex timber clones and four latex clones.

The Group 2A comprises all the new clones, which showed good early performance for

at least three years in large scale trials in different environmental conditions.

This would enable the rubber growers to select promising new clones with lesser risk

However, planting of these clones should not be more than 50 per cent of the area.

It comprises nine clones of which seven are latex timber clones and two latex clones.

The most promising clone after three years tapping in the large scale clone trials in

different environments is RRIM 2007 with mean yield of 2831 kg per ha per year. All the

other clones produced mean yields of more than 1600 kg per ha per year.

This Group 2B comprises all the newly recommended clones from the small scale clone

trials as well as clones with less than three years yield data in large scale clone trials in

different environmental conditions. Due to limited data in different environmental

conditions, these clones should be planted with basket of clones with not more than 20

per cent of the area planted from this group to reduce risk.

The recently developed clones with yield potential of about 3,000 kg per ha per year is

still far below the theoretical yielding potential of rubber tree, which is about 10,000 kg

per ha per year.

The sustainable yield improvement through breeding can only be achieved with the

availability of large genetic base compared to the narrow genetic base of the progenitors

of the commercial planting materials in Malaysia, originating from 22 seedlings

introduced to Singapore in 1877.

Broadening the genetic base is one of the key areas in future strategy of rubber breeding

to reinforce the additive genetic component for yield, girth and other important secondary

characters.

The utilisation of these large genetic materials collected from wild germplasm of Hevea

brasiliensis and different Hevea spp during the 1981 and 1995 expeditions in Brazil

would enable the rubber breeders to develop new latex timber clones having yield

potential of about 4,000 kg/ha/year and wood volume of 2.0 m3/tree in the near future.

Last Update: 22 Sep 2008

[jamescollister]

Barry after re reading your earlier post I think you are talking about the Bat poo. I am no expert on fertilizer and have followed the recommended system. Some of the locals use it, and here is the draw back. You will get out of your trees what you put in, in the early years. This is our 2nd season and I had to buy a lot of bigger cups as the smaller ones were over flowing. My trees have been taken care of as good as I could afford and now out produce many of the locals trees by a factor of 2. Money spent in the beginning will give it's return in the tapping years. You are going for 16000 trees as cheaply as you can, when 8,000 good trees will out produce the 16,000, it's a numbers game. In a much earlier post I said about a farang who planted 25 rai. They are over 10 years old and in such poor condition they can not get anyone to tap on a 60 percent tappers cut. Just too much work for too little return. A Thai family can live with poor trees, but you can't.

Mark nice find on the tree types wish I had know a lot more when I started, bit late for me not. Jim

[barrybike]

...we used only good plants and fertilizer so far ...its just that this type of fertilizer was recommended to us as the trees we have are out growing trees beside us that were planted 2 years earlier ...also the land we have the trees on is good quality soil ...at 990 baht per bag delivered i wouldnt call it cheap stuff really ..i suppose different lands and soils plus climate in different areas differ from place to place ..anyway we didnt decide to buy this fertilizer yet ..its just a suggestion so far ..ill keep ye posted on the progress ..cheeers for info jim