By Dhel Nazario

Old and unproductive rubberwood trees will soon become a valuable resource in Zamboanga Sibugay as Department of Science and Technology – Forest Products Research and Development Institute (DOST-FPRDI) project gets underway.

 

Up to 12 farmer-members of the Tambanan Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multipurpose Cooperative (TARBEMCO) were recently trained by the institute on the sawmilling of old rubberwood logs in April.

The cooperative is FPRDI’s local partner in the project “Processing and Utilization of Senile and Unproductive Rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis) Trees for the Production of High-Value Furniture, Mouldings and Joineries.”

They were trained by project leader Engr. Victor G. Revilleza, For. Pablito L. Alcachupas, Leandro D. Peñarubia and Fernando M. Pesigan who are all under the FPRDI’s Technology Innovation Division.

The training taught participants how to properly cut rubberwood logs to ensure maximum quality, lumber recovery and safety for the operators.

They will later on be hired as sawmill operators of the province’s newly established rubberwood processing facilities when the DOST-FPRDI project gets underway. With 210 hectares of old rubberwood trees, TARBEMCO plantations are expected to yield 31,500 cubic meters of good lumber for use in high-value products.

The project is funded by DOST-GIA and is also geared toward determining the financial viability of production operations, and encouraging high-end use of senile rubberwood trees in the country.