Ha Tinh Rubber One Member Co., Ltd: Rising from Hardship

Rubber trees took root in Ha Tinh province 12 years ago. At that time, provincial leaders and leaders of Vietnam Rubber Corporation Vietnam teamed up. Dang Duy Bao, Former Provincial Party Secretary and Le Van Binh, Former Deputy Director of Vietnam Rubber Corporation and Nguyen Hoang Trach, Former Vice Chairman of Ha Tinh Provincial People’s Committee, spared no effort to plant rubber trees on 10,000 ha in Ha Tinh province. At that time, Ha Tinh was very poor, with mountainous districts, while Ha Tinh Rubber Company had just undergone a reshuffle.

 

To assist rubber growers in Ha Tinh, the Vietnam Rubber Group, which was then Vietnam Rubber Corporation (Vinaruco), assigned Tay Ninh Rubber Company to support and guide farmers from soil processing to planting and tending techniques. At that moment, the province only dared to pilot the new industrial crop on 203 ha of land, almost equally divided into two packages. A package was given to Ha Tinh Rubber Co., Ltd and the other one was handed to Ha Tinh Tea Company. The trees grew very beautifully in the first and second years but then unexpectedly caught disease and withered. Workers despaired about the loss. They feared their efforts and hopes were in vain. Director of Ha Tinh Rubber Co., Ltd urgently sought help from Vietnam Rubber Corporation.

 

Director Tran Ngoc Son said: “One night, I dreamt to see strange trees on our land, not rubber trees. I felt very scared.” Indeed, the company lost all the rubber trees on 200 ha in Ky Anh district in 2007 because of storm. Staffs in Ky Anh district once again experienced the feeling of confusion and worry. But, we could not give up the good soil. After the storm, we started to do again.

 

Rubber trees, currently cultivated on 10,000 ha, are the best crop in Ha Tinh province in terms of economic value. In 2011, the company's net profit reached VND30 billion, paid VND12 billion of taxes, created jobs for 1,700 full-time employees and more than 1,000 seasonal workers, who were paid VND4.1 million each a month on average. The company is eying growing rubber trees in Laos. Ha Tinh - Bolikhamxai Co., Ltd was set up in the neighbouring for the purpose.

 

Remarking on the company’s investment plans, Director Tran Ngoc Son said: "In addition to planting 1,200 ha of rubber trees, we invest in two other projects: a latex processing factory and tunnel brick factory.” The company needs VND229 billion to finish these projects. The brick factory is expected to be inaugurated around the middle of 2012 and turn out 25 billion bricks a year. The latex processing plant has already completed a trial run and is ready for commercial operation.

 

The firm expected to exploit 3,000 tonnes of latex in 2012 and make revenues of VND250 billion, up 60 percent over 2011. The mall farm model was also kicked off. Mr Son asserted, “Rubber trees require high cultivating techniques and huge investment, but they enrich farmers. Combining rubber tree development and new countryside construction will generate momentum for farmers to increase profits.”