Journal Article

Comparative cost analysis for bore hole and bark streak tapping methods in resin production from Pinus brutia

Ucal Sari, Irem, Caglayan, İnci, Kabak, Özgür

2025

Overview

This study assesses the economic and technical feasibility of two resin extraction methods, Bore Hole Tapping (BH) and Bark Streak Tapping (BS), applied to Pinus brutia in the Korudağ Forest, Türkiye. Resin production from 758 trees was analyzed over six months to compare setup costs, operational expenses, labor costs, and yields. Additionally, a feasibility study involving 2500 trees was conducted to evaluate market, technical, and financial aspects. Results show that both methods incur high production costs, making resin production economically unviable under current market conditions. The BH method is particularly unfeasible due to significant initial investments and high operating costs. In contrast, the BS method, with lower costs, approaches viability at historically higher resin prices. Sensitivity analyses suggest that the BS method could become feasible with a significant rise in market prices. However, resin production from Pinus brutia remains economically unfeasible at present.

• Publisher: Springer Netherlands,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Agriculture / agroforestry / Bark / Biomedical and Life Sciences / Boreholes / Community / Cost analysis / Feasibility studies / Forest management / Forest products / Forestry / forests / Industrial engineering / labor / Labor costs / Life Sciences / markets / Methods / Operating costs / Pine trees / Pinus brutia / Production costs / Resins / Rural areas / Sensitivity analysis / Technology assessment / Timber / tree tapping / Trees / viability