It is estimated that a farmer owns an average of three (3) to ten(10) hectares of rubberfarm. About 70% of rubber produced in the country is absorbed by the tire and footwear industries. World consumption has been increasing approximately by 208,000 MT per year since 1995. Description
Rubber plantations mainly consist of only one species, Hevea brasiliens, a variety of plants of the genus Hevea (E
uphorbiaceae family), native to Brazil. Commonly known as the rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis is a tall erect tree with a straight trunk and bark which is usually fairly smooth and grey in color. Rubber grows best at tropical places with temperatures ranging from 20-28°C and a well distributed annual rainfall. It grows on almost all types of soil provided that the drainage is adequate. Mature rubber trees are usually 20-30 m high with graceful upward-extending branches and a relatively slim trunk. Depending on conditions, the rubber tree would usually take 5-6 years to reach maturity when farmers could start tapping and collecting the latex or milky sap from the tree. Investment Opportunities
• Nursery for rubber seedlings
• Testing laboratory (facilities and equipments)
• Processing facilities
• Manufacturing
Interventions of the Department of Agriculture
• Intensify production of planting materials and certification
• Continue support in the establishment/maintenance of foundation groves/scion groves
• Intensify training on tapping efficiency and establishment of techno demo areas
• Credit support for rehabilitated and expansion areas
• Intensify transfer of technology through trainings, publications, etc. to enhance productivity including intercropping technologies
• Establishment of common service facility/village level for processing rubber to enhance product quality
• Establishment of rubber testing laboratory in Zamboanga Sibugay
