Ban on synthetic rubber imports

The Director of Rubber Research Institute referring to our story "Ban on synthetic rubber imports" published on January 25 states that the decision made at the meeting presided over by President Mahinda Rajapaksa was to ban the imports of natural rubber and not synthetic rubber to create a demand for natural rubber grown locally.

Our story was based on a letter dated 22nd January sent to us by the Minister of Mass Media, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardana stating that the import of synthetic rubber is to be banned.

However, Director RRI states that synthetic rubber is an essential component in for many value added rubber product and "no decision was taken to ban the importation of synthetic rubber."