Tbong Khmum Province

Tbong Khmum Province embodies Cambodia's century-long rubber inheritance—a colonial-era monoculture that persists not despite but because of path dependence. The 1922 establishment of Chup Rubber Plantation by Compagnie du Cambodge on red basalt soil identified as ideal by French prospectors created an economic trajectory still defining the province's identity 102 years later.

The historical materiality is remarkable: 448 rubber trees remain on the original 14-hectare Chub commune site, the oldest in Cambodia. November 2024 saw national celebration of the 100th anniversary of Cambodia's oldest rubber tree, alongside the first national rubber tapping contest—converting colonial agricultural infrastructure into contemporary heritage asset. A planned rubber museum will institutionalize this trajectory into permanent commemoration.

Contemporary economics justify the historical continuity. Cambodia's 425,443 hectares of rubber plantations generated $671 million in 2024 exports—a 36% increase over 2023. The 140,000 workers and 420,000 dependents represent one of Cambodia's most significant agricultural employment bases. With international prices averaging $1,971 per tonne (up 47% from 2023), rubber remains highly profitable despite requiring 7+ years before first harvest.

Tbong Khmum hosts both industrial plantations (52% of national area) and family-owned operations (48%), demonstrating the dual-track development pattern. Six tire manufacturing factories—predominantly Chinese-invested—now consume 58,000 tonnes of domestic rubber annually, creating vertical integration that captures value beyond raw latex export.

By 2026, the province's trajectory involves managing aging tree stock (Cambodia now has the world's most elderly rubber trees) while expanding processing capacity. Environmental pressure from deforestation (1,850 hectares lost 2020-2024) creates tension between expansion and sustainability.