Padangpariaman Rubber Production Reaches 3.8 Thousand Tons a Year

id Padangpariaman Rubber Production Reaches 3.8 Thousand Tons a Year

Padangpariaman Rubber Production Reaches 3.8 Thousand Tons a Year

Illustration. (Antara)

Parit Malintang, (Antara Sumbar) - Rubber production in Padangpariaman District, West Sumatra reaches 3.8 thousand tons per year with a land area of 3,130 hectares.

"The rubber plantations are managed by communities in hilly areas in a number of sub-districts," Head of local Agriculture and Food Security Agency Yurisman Yakub stated in Parit Malintang, Tuesday (Sept 26).

He mentioned the sub-districts as rubber garden sub-districts are 2x11 Kayu Tanam, Patamuan, Lubuk Alung, Batang Anai, Sungai Geringging, and IV Koto Aur Malintang.

The result of rubber production is sold to collectors of crops then taken to a number of rubber processing factories in the city of Padang.

Although local government does not have a rubber plant development program, it keeps monitoring the development of commodity production.

"From our monitoring, people who grow rubber in this area have expertise in managing these commodities," he said.

The expertise of residents in managing the rubber plant is obtained from their family or friends so that the rubber garden of the area continues to grow.

One of the rubber farmer in Nagari Sungai Buluah, Batang Anai Sub-district, Beni (43) said farmers generally complain about the low price of rubber latex.

"Currently farmers sell rubber latex to collectors or traders between Rp5 to Rp6 thousand per kilogram," he said.

The low price of rubber causes him to look for other jobs to fulfill family needs.

"In a day, I was only able to tap rubber around 20 kilograms at most," he said.

He hopes that rubber resale price will return to normal at Rp12,000 per kilogram so that his labor is paid.

"Because of the cheap price of rubber, many farmers change their jobs," he added. (cha)

Editor: Vicha Faradika