Rubber growers in Binh Duong province have experienced a difficult year, owing to price decrease of rubber latex plus abnormal weather and spreading of disease epidemics. After a long time with many advantages, rubber growers now face a bad crop. However, their believe in rubber tree remains high and rubber tree has still a stable stand in the provincial agricultural structure. Phuoc Hoa rubber JSC purchases latex at households.  Binh Duong has the country's second biggest rubber growing area (after Binh Phuoc province) with about more than 130,000ha, 80,000ha of which are grown by households. For many localities in Binh Duong, rubber is a staple tree, bringing a prosperous living for many people and contributing remarkably to local process of socio-economic development in rural areas. According to many rubber growers, latex tapping in this year will end prior to Tet holiday. The main reason lies in price decrease of rubber latex.In the past year, price of rubber latex in Binh Duong was at low level. Meanwhile, in the first period of exploitation, latex price was maintained at nearly VND600 per TSC. Since the middle of exploitation season, latex price has gradually decreased from VND600 to VND500 and up to now at VND400. In terms of rubber export, the huge supply and limited demand made rubber price in 2013 was equal to about 75% from 2012 and was more than 50% from 2011. Consequently, rubber businesses' turnover and profit and rubber workers' wage decreased along. For rubber growing households, if families took advantage of labor in their families, they would enjoy a higher income than other households hiring laborers. Price of rubber decreased but price of hiring laborers to tap latex did not reduce. Nguyen Van Hoang, the rubber grower in Tam Lap commune, Phu Giao district said "Decrease on latex price makes rubber growing households encounter many difficulties". However, despite decrease on latex price, rubber growers still enjoy a stable income and income from rubber tree is still higher than other kinds of trees. Facing the situation of decreasing latex price, many rubber growing households rapidly seld old rubber trees to newly plant other rubber trees for the sake of waiting a new increase on price in the coming years. Right from the end of 2012, Dinh Van Quyen in Phuoc Sang commune, Phu Giao district sold his 2ha rubber plantation. He said "my rubber plantation could give exploitation 3 more years but I sold my rubber trees, owing decrease on latex price. I bravely sold them to plant new varieties of rubber tree to enjoy new prices in the coming 5-6 years".Many say that rubber production will in 2014 face many difficulties. Rubber growers will encounter decrease on latex price and bad weather and complication of disease epidemics. Nguyen Van Tan, general director of Phuoc Hoa rubber JSC said "Price of rubber in 2014 will be probably lower than price of 2013 at VND48-50mil per ton. And, price of rubber latex at households will be at VND380-400 per TSC".This price level will continue triggering difficulties for many rubber businesses in ensuring growth in turnover and wage and bonus for laborers.At present, Phuoc Hoa rubber JSC has liquidated old rubber plantations and newly planted rubber trees to waiting for new price level in the coming time as well as paid attention to expanding export market, meeting clients' demand for the sake of ensuring revenue, Tan added.Across localities, after liquidation of rubber plantations, most of the rubber areas have been planted newly. This shows that rubber growers' believe in rubber tree remains big. And, rubber tree has been still a staple tree. Many people hope that rubber latex price will return its golden era as in 2010-2011. Reported by C.Son - Translated by A.C