BACHOK, Feb 21 (Bernama) -- The current high price of rubber is tempting some smallholders to foolishly tap their trees twice a day, said Risda Kelantan Director Zahari Mat Amin.
He said they did not realise that by tapping the trees in the morning and evening, they would shorten the productive life span of the tree.
If a tree could be tapped for 15 years, its productive life span could be slashed to only 12 years, he told reporters after a meeting with smallholders here.
Zahari said more than 48,000 rubber smallholder families in Kelantan were reaping the benefit of the higher rubber price, with latex quoted at about RM10 per kg.
Some of the families were earning between RM1,300 and RM3,500 per month for one hectare of smallholding, up from their usual income of RM300 to RM400.
"Their higher income enables some of them to own new cars," he said, advising them to save for a rainy day.
(Source: http://malaysia.news.yahoo.com/bnm/20110221/tts-rubber-folly-bm-993ba14.html)
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