As the country faces the exciting prospect of making its first local tire brand, rubber farmers will gather in Kidapawan City on Jan. 21 to start organising themselves into a strong association to become shareholders of the tire manufacturing company.
Initiated by the Department of Agriculture through its attached agency, the Philippine Rubber Research Institute, the forum at the Kidapawan City Gymnasium which will start at 7 a.m. will brief rubber farmers on the current state and the future of the rubber industry.
PRRI Executive Director Rudy Galang said those invited to the forum are Filipino rubber farmers who own at least one hectare planted to rubber trees.
After the presentation of several topics related to the rubber industry, the farmers will be organised into a strong association which is expected to be the partner of a company based in Finland which is interested in establishing a tire factory in North Cotabato which will produce the country’s first local tire brand.
Last week, the chief executive officer of Black Donuts Engineering of Finland, Kai Hauvala, and one of its directors, Tomi Pekolla, visited the Philippines and inspected the plantation areas and processing facilities in North Cotabato.
They were able to locate an ideal location for a tire factory.
Hauvala said the company is excited at the prospect of building the Philippines first local tire factory using the rubber produced by Filipino farmers.
He said they are looking at a factory which could produce 4-million tires every year.
Each car and truck tire uses 40% natural rubber produced from rubber trees, 40% synthetic rubber which is a by-product in the processing of crude oil and the remaining 20% other components, including steel strands.
Rubber farmers have long been complaining of fluctuating prices of raw rubber mainly because their produce is bought by traders who export this in the form of rubber cubes and even unprocessed cup lumps.
From a high of over P90 per kilo about eight years ago, the price of raw cup lumps dropped to only P14 last year.
It has recovered this year and is now at P40 per kilo.
A tire factory in Mindanao will assure a ready market for the farmers produce and stabilise the price.
The factory which is estimated to cost about P10-B is also expected to directly employ 1,000 workers in the facility.
Many others are expected to gain employment in ancillary services related to rubber farming and processing.
Rubber farmers all over the country could attend the organisation forum. There is no registration fee but the participants are advised to bring their own food and water.
(First two photos show my brother Col. Pat Piñol showing his prolific rubber trees which produce 3.5 kilos of latex every month. The two other photos are file photos from various websites of tire factories.)
More Stories
Breeding Season Starts!
Practical Tips On Cattle Feeding!
Bamboo Goat House Model Now Ready For Occupancy!