Rubber Research in Sri Lanka

Continued from last week....

Introduction of rubber based farming systems is another important recommendation made by the institute to the rubber growers. Improving land use efficiency, generating an income during the immature period, a steady income during adverse weather for harvesting and during poor trading conditions are some of the benefits the growers could gain by the adoption of rubber based farming systems.

Planting material

(a) Bare root and

currently used

(b) Young budding

The purest form of raw rubber available in the world for rubber product manufacture is crepe rubber. Among many products crepe rubber is also used in pharmaceutical products, food industry and in manufacturing of toys. The water soluble, non toxic and environmentally friendly bleaching agent used in the manufacture of crepe rubber was developed by scientists of the Rubber Research Institute of Sri Lanka.

Ribbed Smoked Sheets (RSS) are a common grade of raw rubber produced in the country. Untill recently the drying period to produce RSS was about 5-6 days. With the development of more energy efficient processes the drying period for the manufacture of RSS rubber is now reduced to a single day. This invention of the scientists of the Rubber Research Institute will help to cut down the cost of manufacture significantly whilst helping to keep the environment clean.

The Rubber Research Institute laboratories have developed capacities to provide analytical services and test reports to facilitate export of different grades of raw rubber and finished products. Further the institute assists the rubber product manufacturing sector of the country through development of rubber compounds, blends and assisting them in trouble shooting.

Waste water discharged during raw rubber and rubber product manufacture is an environmental issue. The RRISL has developed cost effective systems to treat such effluent water to achieve Central Environmental Authority specified standards prior to releasing to the environment.

Contribution towards economy

With the adoption of technologies recommended by the Rubber Research Institute during the year 2008 Sri Lanka produced 129,000 MT tonnes of Natural Rubber (NR). Around 63% of the NR produced had been utilized within the country for value addition. The rest had been exported as raw rubber. Foreign exchange earnings to the country through the export of both raw rubber and finished products had been more than Rs. 72 billion in 2008. With the rubber products used locally and the value of the rubber timber industry it is currently an industry with a value of around 100 billion rupees a year. This benefit from the industry is in addition to the generation of job opportunities and contributing to the environmental protection of the country. In order to sustain the contribution from the rubber industry to the socio-economic development and the environmental protection of the country strategies to meet the future challenges the industry has to face need to be developed.

Future challenges

Some challenges the rubber growers have to face are the increasing cost of production and shortage of skilled workers. Enhancing the yield potential further of rubber clones to be recommended to the industry in the future and developing and introducing cost effective agronomic practices that require lesser number of skilled workers are being looked at by the scientists of the Rubber Research Institute to mitigate the adverse effects of such challenges.

In the raw rubber processing and finished product manufacturing sectors, increasing cost of chemicals, availability of skilled workers and high energy costs are certain issues to which solutions are needed. The intervention of the scientists is needed in this regard and the ultimate target of the scientists should be to provide the technical know how and other services to enable the country to add value to 100% of the raw rubber produced in the country.

It is apparent that the low rate of technology adoption by the growers is one major reason for high cost of production of raw rubber. Rectification of this will have immediate benefits to the industry and the scientists need to work in close collaboration with growers and extension staff to find a quick and a lasting solution to this issue.

Sri Lanka is yet to gain the maximum benefits from its rubber timber industry. Value addition in this sector is at a very low level and as a result country is losing valuable foreign exchange and employment opportunities.

Though rubber growers are contributing immensely to keep the environment clean through rubber plantations that have the capacity to fix more than 125 MT of CO2 per hectare during its economic life span they are not remunerated for it. The scientists are currently working on this matter together with relevant organizations and policy makers and such work will need to be continued giving a high priority, so that the growers will be able to reap benefits for their contribution towards a clean development mechanism.

From time to time there are certain technologies being introduced to the country which may have not been tested using well designed field trials. Exploitation systems yield stimulants and chemicals for the curing various disorders are some examples. Adoption of such technologies can have adverse impacts on the local rubber industry and scientists of the Rubber Research Institute are very much on alert on such imported technologies in order to prevent any deleterious effects to the country.

The strength of a research institute is mainly on its research staff. Therefore, it is vital that this strength is sustained for the betterment of the rubber industry in the country.

Dr. A. Nugawela Director, Rubber Research Institute