Plantation owners cut down rubber trees as prices continue to drop

March 12, 2016

With rubber prices continuing to drop, many Mon State plantation owners have given up on rubber tapping, and are instead beginning to cut down and sell their rubber trees for quick cash.

Rubber prices have more than halved in recent years, falling to a current rate of around 400 Kyat per pound. As prices crash, locals say that plantation owners are cutting down even very young trees, judging that it is not worth their while to cultivate them any longer.

Nai Sein, from Chot Plaing Village, Ye Township, explained, “The price for rubber wood is not so bad, that’s why many people are willing to sell [their trees]… If it keeps going like this, I worry that there will be less and less rubber business in our area.”

Reportedly, plantation owners are being offered up to 10,000 Kyat per tree. Rubber wood buyer, Nai Pyout, detailed, “At this time, it is not easy [for plantation owners] to earn even 10,000 or 20,000 Kyat per day [from rubber tapping]. If they sell the whole tree they can get one million Kyat for 100 plants, or ten million Kyat for 1000 plants.”

He continued, “At the current price, it is very tiring to tap 1000 plants and earn very little. That is why many plantation owners are [selling their trees].”

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under News