In this photo taken on Jan 17, 2023, rubber tapper Wanida Hityim, 41, mixes formic acid with natural latex collected from a rubber tree in the early hours of the morning at her plantation in the southern province of Surat Thani. (Photo: AFP)
By the light of a head torch, Wanida Hityim deftly strips bark from a rubber tree, collecting the milky latex as she explains why she is among a small number of Thai farmers trying to work more sustainably.
As the world’s largest producer of natural rubber — supplying more than a third of global stocks in 2021 — Thailand’s policies have stimulated massive deforestation, plummeting biodiversity and soaring soil erosion.
The vast majority of the kingdom’s plantations are still worked…
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
