The Rubber Farmers of Zamboanga Sibugay Province

Rubber farmers in upper Sta. Clara were CARP beneficiaries who became owners of a plantation once owned by Good Rich, a multinational firm. When the plantation was turned over to them, prices of raw rubber or field lumps began falling for various reasons.

When DTI-Sibugay came into the picture in early 2002, the situation was at its lowest point: the industry had no direction, no leader, just farmers uncertain of the future.

Some of them had started to cut down their rubber trees and sold them as lumber, while others tried to save on production cost by using battery solution as coagulant instead of formic acid.

Still others started to double-tap their trees, eventually killing them. Field lumps were being sold at two pesos per kilogram.

The first thing the OIC of DTI Sibugay Province, Edito Lumacang, did was to gather the farmers together, lecture them on proper tapping methods, and persuade them to use formic acid again to properly coagulate their raw rubber to ensure the purity and high quality of their produce, for which they could demand a higher price.

However, when Lumacang went back after two weeks, he discovered that the farmers had not followed his instructions and were still adulterating their field lumps.

His next step was to meet with the farmers' wives, telling them basically the same things he told the farmers. It was an inspired move. The result was immediate: on his third visit, the field lumps were absolutely free of impurities. It was then time to organize the farmers into "quality circles" and give them assistance in marketing, using the Internet for price comparisons.

Thirteen quality circles were organized, eight of which strictly implemented the recommended tapping methods and coagulating solution. These eight circles, composed of 256 farmers, were the ones given marketing assistance by DTI.

DTI also sourced and distributed 30 kilograms of coagulating taps to improve the quality of raw rubber. The funding for this came from Governor George Hoper and two prominent rubber traders.

For the training component, the DTI conducted 17 quality and productivity improvement seminars for 215 farmers, upon the request of the mayors. Mayor Eric Cabarios, members of Sangguniang Panlalawigan, and LGUs of four municipalities provided the funds for these seminars.

DTI also conducted the first Provincial Small Rubber Forum and organized nine bagsakan centers, manned by the barangay chair on the barangay level and a DTI staff on the provincial level. Bidding is done one day before the rubber market day (14th and 29th of every month). The floor price offering is set by DTI based on daily rubber price bulletin in the Internet.

As the quality of the cup lumps improved, DTI invited four outside buyers to compete in the local market. Their entry raised the price of rubber from P6.50 to P14.00 per kilogram. Things have gone uphill since then. The current price is P21.00 per kilogram. Sales monitored in the bagsakan centers reached P27.83 million at the end of 2002.

This is what one farmer said: "In 2001, we were selling our field lumps at P4.80 per kilogram; today the current price is P21.00. Before, we could earn only P2,055 per hectare per month; now we earn P5,700 per hectare per month. With the three hectares that I own, I am now able to feed and educate my children better." (DTI)