Resin production, from traditional trate to industritry of the future

Due to the global crisis, the uncertainty of international markets and the increasing demand of environmentally friendly products, a number of studies have been carried out to convert traditional industries into profitable industries and a consolidated future.

A particular case in Forestry, it is the trade of resin traditionally developed throughout the Mediterranean basin, which has been forgotten for many years due to the rise of oil products and most competitive prices.

Researchers from ETSI de Montes de la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid have been analyzing and working on new techniques that allow having bigger productions and reduce production costs.

The research has been based on the effects of climate on resin production and after analyzing dozens of resin campaigns propose a series of modifications in the traditional production systems that result an improvement in production. So this study has concluded that the collection campaigns should be extended in those years with dry spring and summers with precipitation, since under these conditions higher yields are obtained. However, if we have very dry summers, the campaign should be restricted to the warmer months as the yields will be smaller and the risk to the pest performance will be greater.

This, with the mechanization advances of the work and the increase of price that the natural resin has had in the international market places the resin in a good place as a renewable and future industry.

At the same time, it is important to remember the importance of the revitalization of the sector in creating jobs in rural areas that are suffering from abandonment problems, as well as preserving this type of forestry that combines the production of resin with that of others Forest products, which provides a good adaptability to the demands of different markets and a strength in facing the future.