By Supunnabul Suwannakij
Sept. 4 — Thailand to increase area in which it will cut down aging trees by 33% to 400,000 rai (64,000 hectares) a year in season starting Oct., says Prasit Meadsen, acting director of Office of the Rubber Replanting Aid Fund.
* Of total, rubber can’t be replanted on 100,000 rai of land, cutting supply by ~27,000 tons/year; balance of 300,000 rai can be used to replant rubber trees, Prasit says by phone
* Plan to be implemented for 7 years from Oct.
* Farmers plan to replant rubber trees on 300,000 rai in the current crop yr
* Office to help educate farmers to cut production costs, increase productivity; will support plan for farmers to build stockpiles and increase processing
* NOTE: Govt approves plan to provide 10b baht in loans for farmers to buy rubber; 5b baht for farmer groups to process rubber
Source: Bloomberg
