About where the rubber tree gives latex

15:14, 07/09/2023

BHG - I returned to the rubber growing area of Ha Giang province in the middle of the latex harvest season. After nearly 4 years, since the first rubber plantation for latex exploitation (2019), there have been new joys.

Workers harvest rubber latex grown in Yen Ha commune (Quang Binh).

Rubber trees were replanted in Ha Giang in 2009 in 3 districts: Bac Quang, Quang Binh and Vi Xuyen, with an area of 1,537 hectares. By 2019, the first batch of rubber trees had begun to be tapped. Rubber trees planted in Ha Giang were tapped 2 years earlier than the technical process. Although tapped earlier, the latex output and quality of rubber trees grown in Ha Giang are not inferior to domestically grown rubber trees managed by the Vietnam Rubber Group. Director of Ha Giang Rubber Joint Stock Company, Do Anh Minh, said: The output of exploited rubber latex is increasing steadily every year. In 2022, the company exploited over 500 tons of latex; this year, the Vietnam Rubber Group assigned a target of tapping over 800 tons of latex. By mid-August, the tapped latex output reached nearly 600 tons. Ha Giang Rubber Joint Stock Company is currently creating jobs for 220 workers in the province. All employees working in the Company are fully covered by health insurance and social insurance. The average income of workers ranges from 5 - 6.5 million VND/person/month. In the last months of the year, the trees produce higher latex, and workers tapping latex have monthly incomes of up to 20 - 22 million VND/person/month.

Workers tap rubber trees planted in Tan Dien village, Kim Ngoc commune (Bac Quang).

Returning to Tan Dien village, Kim Ngoc commune (Bac Quang) in the middle of the rubber latex harvest season. Shaking my hand, Mr. Nguyen Van Thu, the team leader, was very happy: In a flash, 14 years of working with rubber trees in the village have passed. I only have 6 more years to get my pension, brother; the average income during the latex tapping season of the whole team ranges from 6 - 9 million VND/person/month. During the peak months when the trees produce a lot of latex, the income of tappers is up to 15 - 18 million VND/person/month (depending on the hard work). Tan Dien is a village that grows 172 hectares of rubber trees, with 32 workers working to take care of and tap rubber latex. Of these, 14 workers in the village have contributed land as shares to grow rubber. The remaining workers are mostly couples from Xin Man and Hoang Su Phi districts.

Mr. Thao Seo Lao is open-minded, the salary of the couple last June, the month when the trees yielded the least latex, was 24 million VND. From July onwards to the end of November every year, the couple earns about 36 - 42 million VND/month. In addition to tapping and collecting latex, Mr. Lao and his wife also regularly take care of nearly 7 hectares of rubber trees to earn more income. The company pays an additional 175 - 300 thousand VND/ha for clearing and caring for the forest.

Visiting Yen Ha commune, Quang Binh district, a large rubber plantation area of Ha Giang Rubber Joint Stock Company, Mr. Pham Viet Linh, team leader, said: Yen Ha currently has over 115 hectares of rubber trees; the number of workers working on tapping and caring for the trees is 14 people. The average income per worker for the whole year ranges from 5.5 - 6 million VND/person/month, equivalent to 70 million VND/person/year. All work from taking care of the garden to tapping and collecting latex is done according to product contracts. In which, clearing and caring is 170 - 300 thousand VND/ha. The labor cost from tapping latex ranges from 450 - 550 thousand VND/quintal. Secretary of Yen Ha commune Party Committee, Hoang Van Dieu, commented: Rubber trees planted in Yen Ha are gradually changing the thinking of farmers in a positive direction. A local resident who participates in taking care of and tapping rubber trees also receives an average salary of over 5 million VND/month. The time when rubber trees produce the most latex is from July to the end of November, the wages earned by workers from tapping latex is from 9 - 12 million VND/person/month. Currently, rubber trees have been and are harvesting latex with an increasing output each year, which is a good sign for businesses and workers in the hometown.

Records in places where people contribute land as shares to grow rubber show that people contributing land as shares and then becoming rubber workers have solved the problem of economy , employment, labor and stable, sustainable income.

Article and photos: NGUYEN HUNG

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