Rubber processing

[Coss]

Thanks Gents,

 

DDDave seems to have got it spot on.

[buffalo_bill]

Sir ,

 

before spending cash on things which you don't know anything about read competing boards with substantial threads on agricultural issues .

 

This wise move stopped me from buying loads of Rai in outer Korat to start South East Asia's biggest sugar cane plantation . CEO of course lovely Nok . This was after I was just about to assemble South East Asia's biggest number of ostrichs ever seen at one place . Which was after I almost bought a place in Korat to manufacure dry ice . What I did not consider so far is opening a bah beer or a motorcycle rental business or a diving school . I am now into motels and a mysterious project with educational background which I still don't understand but it could be fun .

 

Nuff said

[Khun_Kong]

My ex-GF has about 1500 trees. They tap for a couple of months a few times a year. Collect sap in the cups, collect sap in "breadpans" at night. Squeese out liquid, hang to dry. About 1 Kg/sheet. Truck comes around and picks it up.

 

Preseason price I think can be up around 80-90 THB/kilo. After everybody starts tapping, drops to 30-40 Tried to give tirak's family enough money so they didn't have to sell when everybody else was, but I don't think my advice "took".

 

The locals used to take their sheets to a guy who had the big roller machine. I've rolled many kilos myself, after purchasing said machine for tirak's family.

 

Poor bastards: takes about 7 years for the trees to mature. They cleared their farmland, planted 1500 trees, waited 7 years and ... boom: fucking forest fire wipes out some 1200 trees. Buy again, plant again, wait again. Honest, hard working, non-drinking people, they just can't seem to get a break. Some hushed talk about arson by village pooyai, who has the biggest plantation, untouched by fire.

 

I think they're bringing in over 500 kilos each season now.

 

I've got photos and video that I'll try to post tonight.

 

 

[buffalo_bill]

I am a leading expert on agricultural issues , Siam - related .

 

As you say they all sell at the same time , bringing prices down . One obstacle with my sugar cane plantation was that at time of harvesting you don't get trucks to take it to the processing plant . Which makes trucks expensive and ruins the profit .

[Coss]

Gentlemen all,

 

I am overwhelmed by the response to my original request, both here, there, on the electric mail and even magnetic radio calls.

 

This advice and information now has me as the preeminent Rubber Plantation observer from afar.

 

A little more information for those who are interested:

 

The trees are 7 or more years old, family will keep the labouring to themselves.

 

The machine is indeed a mangle like affair, useful for losing fingers and other appendages.

 

The place where the dried rubber sheets has to go to is near and thereto an advantage regarding transport costs.

 

As to selling when everyone else is selling and attaining lower prices, I will tell 'em and see if that survives the translation.

 

I am also told that rubber trees like a moist environment, so what they are doing in tiny village near Surin, acknowledged as the driest dust bowl on the planet, I don't know.

 

And I really have sent them bugger all money over the years, so for them to produce a rubber plantation from thin air is truly worthy of a gold star, and I'm just off to the stationery cupboard to get one to send to them

 

Thanks and cheers

 

Coss

[Nervous God]

Don't believe the rubber trees works best in wet climate, works better for tapping when it's not so wet.