As a second big producent after Thailand following by Malaysia, Indonesia produce 2.64million Ton latex in2006 for crumb rubber type. And it scooped up devisa until US$3.77 Milliard, almost 50% from total agronomi export rate.
Base on International Rubber study Group (2007) within last 5 years, the consumption of rubber in Indonesia was raised up almost 10.98% pa, while for international it increasing around 4.72% pa.
Base on International Rubber study Group (2007) within last 5 years, the consumption of rubber in Indonesia was raised up almost 10.98% pa, while for international it increasing around 4.72% pa.
Referring to the data , Rubber crumb industrial will be a brigthening sector that can suck a lot of resources labor. The Latex Plant employing many people for tapping the rubber from the tree, collecting rubber every day, to squirt pest in the field and also many people to work in the plant to process the rubber to be many things that ready to use.
There are many product that can make from the rubber/latex. We can get the rubber by tapping the tree, rubber seed that can use as a raw material for oil painting etc, and even the tree itself. The rubber wood can use for furniture and material for build house. Due to a lot of product can make from rubber, rubber plant will be a covenant sector to be exert
There are 2 bigger islands that have big Rubber planting area in Indonesia, Sumatera and Kalimantan Island. But we still can find the rubber plant in Jawa, Sulawesi and Irian Jaya also. Sumatra it self, we can find the rubber Plant in Lampung, Riau, Aceh or North Sumatera.
North Sumatera with mainland area square ±71680KM² we can find the rubber plant in Langkat, Deli Serdang, Simalungun, Tapanuli Utara, Tapanuli Selatan, Tapanuli Tengah and Nias.
In year 1996-2002, rubber price was decrease and give listlessness impact to the farmer or Rubber estate in Indonesia. In July 2000, three countries held Tripartite Miniterial Meeting to solve the problem fo decreaing rubber price. They then come to conclusion to reduce rubber production that would be scheduled in Year 2002 about 155,000 tons and in Year 2003 around 200,000 tons. And to overcome the problem, one program was to limit rubber spreading, while new plant direction was condnucted to the efforts of rejuvanating old rubber or to replace lower produce rubber plants.
Indonesia minister publish the instruction to all rubber estate or rubber plant company limited about this agreement to let all partite involving the program to stabilize or even to increase the rubber price. As we knew since 2004, the rubber price increasing a lot. The drastic rise in price from US$ 1 to become US$ 3 / kg was happened all along year 2006-2007 . This condition arouse the farm enterprises not only for the company limited but also traditional rubber farmer.
The important thing now, is how to give an agricultural extention to the farmer on how to manage their farm/land to keep high productivity on tubber plant. Not only tapping the Latex from the tree every day to take the rubber but more above :
a. Give proper care or fertilizing
b. How to absord technology to manage and rubber plant treatment
c. How to selected good rubber seed and cultivation of seedlings
d. The density of tree per hectare
e. Rubber rejuvenation program
a. Give proper care or fertilizing
b. How to absord technology to manage and rubber plant treatment
c. How to selected good rubber seed and cultivation of seedlings
d. The density of tree per hectare
e. Rubber rejuvenation program
f. Exploit the rubber seed
With less knowledge, the farmer drive the plant with traditional method. With out fertilizing, grass weeding and fungus eradication, the tree will not achieve productivity aging until 20-25years.
With less knowledge, the farmer drive the plant with traditional method. With out fertilizing, grass weeding and fungus eradication, the tree will not achieve productivity aging until 20-25years.
Goverment through their torcher need to give more extention to the farmer, explan on the important thing to do all above and the benefit that they will get , and also why they need to do rejuvenation program and optimizing the advantage of old rubber wood that can use for furniture or material for housing. The other thing is to introduce the exploiting of rubber seed, it is important because most of the farmer never exploit the seed. They just live the seed fall down and decompose by the time. The seed can be collect as same as the rubber every day, bring to the factory to process to make oil paint, resin etc and this will be an additional income for the farmer. All this opportunity will raise the benefit margin in rubber industrial.
Feasibility study will include the data obtaining for real potency of the replanting rubber trees. There is a possibility to get data from the farmers to an assurance of rejuvenating rubber trees. Often non-technical barriers blocked the rejuvenation program, because most of the farmers depends their lives on rubber estates even though the trees were already old. Implementation of program that covers compensation or income replacement of farmers would overcome the problem of the farmers’ income loose when rejuvenated rubber program is activated.
However it is important to make a good plan of rejunavated program to prevent farmers income loose. By doing rejuvenation step- by step, starting from first year of the last 5 years productivity age, this will continue the life of the farmer and their exertion.
This short writing is to give illustration, information, and general direction for the farmer/investors who are interest in investigating the possibility for developing utilization of old rubber trees. The most intense study is necessary for interested investors. If an investor can do the effort of rejuvenating old rubber trees, surely it will give deep meaning in lifting up the dignity and standard of living of rubber farmers, esspecially in Indonesia.
