Rubber farmer finds an alternative source of income

Published on 31 Mar 2017 2:47:01 PM

A rubber farmer in Phang Nga, Thailand is earning a side income from making and selling brooms while waiting for the right time to begin rubber tapping again.
The 53-year-old plantation worker said there is no rubber tapping work for the next three months and found work making brooms.
She added that broom-making does not require much capital but involves skills and patience as it can be time-consuming.
She explained the process begins with collecting reeds that grow in the plantation before drying them over a period of three to four days.
This is followed by the most challenging part of the process- removing flowers from its stems as she is allergic to them.
Lastly, the stems are tightly tied together to make a broom which is sold for Bt50 (US$1.50).