Rubber prices in Nghe An return to golden age
Over the past month, the price of rubber latex has unexpectedly increased back to its golden age, making rubber growers in Nghe An excited, because for a long time before that, the price of latex had always been low.
Present at the rubber forest in Nghia Hong commune, Nghia Dan district, I saw farmers tapping rubber quite busily. Mr. Le Van Nghia in Nghia Hong commune shared: His family has grown nearly 2 hectares of rubber, for a long period of more than 3 years, the price of rubber has always been low, reaching only 15,000 VND/kg (fresh latex through rolling), from the beginning of June 2024, the price of rubber latex suddenly increased, returning to its golden age of over 23,000 VND/kg. With the current selling price, rubber growers not only make a profit but also have more funds for care and exploitation.
According to some rubber growers in Nghia Dan district, despite the high price of latex, people still exploit it according to the right techniques, not by any means to squeeze the latex, to ensure the sustainable development of rubber trees. In some rubber gardens during the construction phase, to limit the negative effects of hot weather, some people apply the traditional solution of using straw, weeds, etc. to cover the rubber tree roots, then hoe the soil over it.
Mr. Hoang Thanh Tung - Deputy General Director of Nghe An Coffee - Rubber One Member Co., Ltd. said: The unit has over 1,800 hectares of rubber, concentrated in Thai Hoa town and Nghia Dan district. Previously, when prices were low, the factory could only process 50 tons/month; for nearly a month now, rubber prices have increased, so the factory has processed over 300 tons/month. There are almost no products in stock, the factory cannot produce enough goods for traders to purchase, rubber is mainly consumed in the domestic market and China.
Previously, the price of rubber latex purchased for raw material areas was 15,000 VND/kg, now the price fluctuates from 21,000 - 23,000 VND/kg, so rubber growers have made a profit and feel secure to take care of their gardens.
To make the rubber tapping process effective, right from the beginning of the season, Nghe An Coffee - Rubber Company Limited has directed technical staff to guide, inspect, and supervise the tapping process, evaluate management, exploitation techniques, production management, and product management for farms, ensuring improved production efficiency. The company recommends that people focus on taking care of rubber gardens during the harvest period.
In Tan Phu commune (Tan Ky), some rubber forests previously had to stop tapping latex because the harvest was not enough to cover labor costs. Now, people are actively taking care of and tapping latex. Mr. Tran Van Tuan - a hired rubber tapping worker shared: The price of latex has increased, the rubber garden owners have profits, we also have jobs, tapping rubber latex earns an income of 300,000 - 400,000 VND/day, which also gives us extra money to cover our living expenses.
Mr. Vu Hong Diem - Director of Song Con Agricultural Joint Stock Company said: Our unit currently has over 700 hectares of rubber, mainly concentrated in Tan Phu commune. Previously, the price was low, the unit only purchased 10-15 tons of latex/month. Now the price has increased, in recent days, the factory has been operating at full capacity, reaching 65 tons of latex/month. It is expected that in 2024, the processing company will consume 350 tons of finished rubber (an increase of 150 tons compared to last year). With the high price of rubber, local rubber growers are very excited, thereby boldly taking care of and fertilizing to bring high crop yields.
Mr. Nguyen Van Thuat - Chairman of the Board of Directors of 1/5 LLC (Nghia Dan) said: Currently, the company only has over 70 hectares of rubber in Nghia Tho and Nghia Phu communes (Nghia Dan). The raw material area cannot meet the demand for the rubber latex processing factory, the unit has to buy rubber latex in Thanh Hoa province, but it is also very difficult to buy due to competition from many other traders who also come to buy.
Nghe An is a province with potential for rubber trees. The whole province currently has over 10,000 hectares of rubber, mainly concentrated in Anh Son, Nghia Dan, Tan Ky, and Que Phong districts, producing over 6,000 tons of processed rubber annually.
However, the rubber industry in Nghe An is facing difficulties, most of the equipment of the processing factories has been invested for too long, the machinery is old and outdated, which significantly affects the quality of the products. Nghe An's rubber products when processed do not meet export standards, some shipments when sold to other countries have been returned, mainly the rubber is defective with impurities.
According to experts, rubber is a multi-purpose tree that has both economic value and environmental protection, contributing to promoting the restructuring of the agricultural and rural economy, improving and increasing income and living standards for people in the mountainous areas of Nghe An. It is also a long-term industrial tree with high economic value.
Therefore, in order for rubber trees to develop sustainably, localities need to review and increase investment to improve the quality of their gardens. Focus on intensive cultivation, improve the efficiency of existing gardens, and replant new ones in promising areas. The State needs to have mechanisms and policies to support rubber growers, such as promoting technology transfer and agricultural extension to rubber growers, and prioritizing loan sources so that people have the conditions to care for and invest in rubber gardens.
To stabilize rubber output, Nghe An needs to attract businesses to invest in modern rubber latex processing factories that meet export standards to increase product value, so that farmers can make a living from rubber trees.
