CNI News

26 October 2023

Due to the lack of regional stability in most of the townships in Mon State where rubber industry is located than last year, it is difficult to conduct rubber resin extraction business in most rubber farms, said rubber businessmen.

Because battles are breaking out between the Tatmadaw and revolutionary forces in Kyaikto, Bilin, Yay townships where most of rubber is produced, it is difficult to hire skilled workers in cutting and extracting rubber resin reported.

Moreover, because there are curfew and traffic restrictions in some areas, it is getting more difficult to work, said the people who do business of cutting and extracting rubber resin.

Because it has been raining up to now, rubber season is late to come. So, it might impact on the rubber industry, an official from the Mon State Rubber Producers Association, told CNI News.

While seeing a person cutting bark to extract rubber resin

" For the time being, rubber planters are making preparations. They have started doing business of cutting and extracting rubber resin. But the rubber season is about one month late to come because it's still raining. We start cutting rubber bark just now. Some rubber farms haven't got enough workers to cut rubber bark. And we are not allowed to go to the restricted areas. Restricted areas have increased. It can impact on rubber production a bit." he said.

Rubber entrepreneurs are finding it difficult to hire workers to cut rubber bark and extract rubber resin due to territorial instabilities and because it is difficult to go on working, some entrepreneurs are planning to sell their rubber farms.

While seeing a person cutting bark to extract rubber resin

Although territorial instabilities have increased in Kyaikto, Bilin and Yay townships, rubber farms in Kyaikmayaw, Thanphyu Zayat, Thaton and Paung townships are regularly operating reportedly.

Although rubber season is late to start due to weather condition, because the rubber price is higher than last year, it may be beneficial to the farmers, U Min Tun, a rubber entrepreneur from Kyaikmayaw Township, told CNI News.

" The difficulty is that it's late to cut rubber resin out this year because the rain hasn't let up. Income can decline. Normally at this time of the year, cutting out rubber resin had been about one month long. But this year, some are still preparing and so cutting period will be short. For the time being, rubber price is higher than last year. If the price is stable all the year round, it will be beneficial to the farmers." he said.

Mon State is the region that produces rubber most in Myanmar and there are more than 500,000 acres of rubber cultivation in the state, producing more than 100,000 tons of rubber each year.