4. Current status of rubber estates as forest plantations

4.1. Introduction

The Malaysian rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) plantations originally established for latex are currently regarded as an important source of timber for wood based industries. It is estimated that annually around 2 million m³ of Hevea wood logs are harvested and utilized for the production of furniture and furniture components. In terms of Hevea area about 30,000 to 40,000 hectares are involved yearly. The Hevea wood products are exported to well over 20 countries. The value accelerated from a mere RM 4.5 million in 1980 to RM 1.4 billion in 1995. Exports in 1997 is expected to in the region of RM 2 billion.

With the rapid expansion of the Hevea wood-based industry there appears to a short supply of Hevea wood and this is expected to be serious as more hevea area are converted into other land use. Measures are in hand to ensure sustainable supply by intensifying research and development towards high Hevea wood productivity in the existing plantations. Efforts are also initiated to provide Hevea wood as an alternative source of commercial wood for timber.

4.2. Log production and consumption

Logging for Hevea wood has accelerated over the last ten years. In 1993 Hevea wood contributed more than 4% of the total log production in Peninsular Malaysia. The heveawood logs are extracted during replanting which is normally carried out when the trees reach the end of the 25 - 30 year economic cycle for latex production. The volumetric yield of Hevea logs per hectare varies with soil, terrain, management practices, diseases, planting cycle and final stand at logging. On the average the estates and smallholdings can yield 190 m³/ha and 180 m³/ha of greenwood, respectively. In the case of sawlogs the estates can produce about 57 m³/ha while the smallholdings provide about 54 m³/ha. After sawing the estates and smallholdings can yield around 18 m³/ha and 11 m³/ha of sawn timber respectively.

Currently around 200 sawmills, 75 preservative treatment plant, 110 kiln drying plants, 3 plywood/veneer mills, 96 furniture plants, 2 chipboard plants and 5 medium density fiber board factories are involved in the processing of Hevea wood logs, sawn timber and chips in Peninsular Malaysia (Lofty et. al. 1997).

4.3. Total area of land under Hevea plantations

Over the years the actual hectares of land under Hevea has been slowly dwindling (Table 14). This is particularly so in the estate sectors. These areas cleared of Hevea trees have been slowly replaced with oil palm which have in terms of price and economics when compared to growing rubber. It is clear that the smallholdings as a whole contribute to the bulk of the latex and Hevea wood production in the country 86.3% smallholdings as compared to 13.7 % group estates.

Table 14. Planted area of natural rubber in Malaysia from 1980-1996 (‘000 hectares)

(Source: Statistics on Commodities 1997)

Table 15 shows the age class of the existing plantations within the country. Those plantings ranging from 25 years and above in principle have completed their economic latex production life and under normal circumstances can be felled for replanting and their logs taken for timber production. Under this category there is about 700,000 ha which can be felled progressively for timber production.

Table 15. Hectares under rubber planting in Peninsular Malaysia by age classes

(Source: Statistics on Commodities 1997)