Thailand is the world’s largest producer and exporter of na…

Thailand is the world’s largest producer and exporter of natural rubber, with the industry generating significant economic revenue through latex, raw rubber, and rubber wood. The country produced more than 4.7 million tonnes of natural rubber in 2022, accounting for approximately one-third of global production.
Key characteristics of rubber plantations in Thailand include:
Smallholder Dominance: Approximately 90% of rubber is produced by smallholders, with around 1.68 million farmers cultivating an average of 2.3 hectares per household.
Cultivation Areas: Plantations cover about 3.5 to 4.7 million hectares, historically concentrated in the South and East, but increasingly expanding into the North and Northeast due to government policies and market shifts.
Production Cycle: Trees typically require 7 years to mature before tapping begins, with a productive lifespan of 25 to 30 years.
Economic Context: While rubber exports nearly double the value of rice exports, farmers face challenges from volatile global prices, with recent years seeing significant income declines that have prompted shifts toward agroforestry and alternative crops like durian.