Rubber cultivation :

Potential for further expansion

by Dr. V. H. L. Rodrigo and Dr. S. M. M. Iqbal

The history of a rubber tree, scientifically known as Hevea brasiliensis, in Sri Lanka dates back to 1876 when it was first planted in the Peradeniya and Henarathgoda Botanical Gardens. Sir Henry Wickem, a British planter, who pioneered this event, was knighted for the unique contribution to mankind.

Since then rubber has played a vital role in our economy providing a significant share in foreign exchange earnings and employment. At present, Sri Lanka is the world’s ninth largest producer of natural rubber. Raw rubber exports contribute over Rs. 12,000 million annually to the national economy and foreign exchange earning from rubber products is considered to be over Rs. 53,000 million.

It is believed that over 500,000 people directly or indirectly depend on rubber. Rubber is largely used in manufacturing a wide variety of products essential for modern day life, from birth control to flying in the air. Neither pleasure nor leisure could be obtained without rubber. With the high prices on synthetic rubber and public concern on renewable resources, apparently there is no threat to our natural rubber.

In particular, rubber based industries in the country are booming and, with that more rubber is locally converted into value added products; hence more foreign exchange and employment opportunities.

Being in the world’s first Rubber Research Institute established over 100 years ago, we are proud to be effective contributors to nation building.The Present level of raw rubber production in the country is 137,000 MT per annum.

However to meet the target in 2016, this should be increased to a minimum of 150,000 MT. Despite all the attempts taken by the Rubber Research Institute of Sri Lanka (RRISL), Rubber Development Department (RDD) and plantation owners to increase the productivity of rubber lands, Sri Lanka needs more rubber to be planted.

Rubber expansion

However, there is virtually no potential for further expansion of rubber cultivation in its traditional growing area, i.e. Wet Zone, since lands in this region are highly subjected to urbanisation and industrialisation. Therefore, the Ministry of Plantation Industries (MPI) has targeted the Intermediate Zone in the South East of the island for future rubber expansion. At present, rubber cultivation in the Intermediate zone is restricted mainly to two districts; Moneragala and Hambantota comprising less than 10,000 hectares of rubber to date.

Being a war-torn area, the Eastern Province has currently been earmarked for development programs by the Government under the Nagenehira Navodaya. With the blessings of MPI, RRISL together with RDD cultivated rubber in the Eastern Province with smallholder farmers. Preliminary studies conducted were in favour of the introduction of rubber to some parts of this region.

The Eastern Province comprises two major climatic zones, Intermediate and Dry Zone (IL2 and DL2). With more rainfall, the Intermediate zone was initially targeted for rubber cultivation. This area in the Ampara district covers two Pradeshiya Sabhas, Padiyatalawa and Maha Oya. Padiyatalawa has 75 villages in 20 Grama Niladhari (GNs) divisions with a population of 16,970 - 3,970 families, whilst ca. 30,000 people live in 90 villages of 17 GN divisions in Maha Oya.

The majority of this community comprises full-time farmers growing seasonal crops such as cowpea, green gram, maize, pumpkin and upland paddy under rain-fed conditions. The major perennial crops grown are lime, orange, mango, teak and coconut.

On average, each family owns about two hectares (five acres) of land. The area is sparsely populated. Basically the farmers are proud to be self-sufficient with their own food production; nevertheless, the cash turnover limits their access to modern day needs.

According to our farmer participatory studies, the annual cash flow of an average family is around Rs. 55,000. Most of the lands available for cultivation appear to be crown lands that had been used for shifting cultivation. Farmers grow crops with or without land-permits issued by the government on these lands.

Farmers are not permitted to clear any further lands with forests cover. Continuous cultivation of seasonal crops limits the productivity and further, sudden changes in weather pattern affect these seasonal crops.

In this scenario we planted rubber on three acres with three farmers in 2004. With no previously established extension network for rubber, educating the farmers in this area on rubber cultivation and follow up monitoring was not an easy task.

Training programs for farmers on the initial establishment and maintenance of rubber were conducted; however, an active involvement of farmers was obtained for knowledge transfer by promoting farmer dialogues, labour sharing (Atthum) and more importantly the farmer confidence in researchers. Also, farmer participation was acquired for our research through growth assessments.

Rapid development

Thanks to the rapid development in telecommunication, telephone conversation was an efficient way of problem identification and knowledge transfer. Ultimately, a village centred system of rubber cultivation was established in the Komana village under the Padiyatalawa Pradeshiya Sabha.

To assure minimum interruption to traditional farming systems and rural livelihood and knowing the importance of food crops, farmers were allowed to grow traditional crops such as maize and cowpea along with rubber. Though only two farmers were successful in the first attempt, another 16 farmers volunteered to cultivate rubber the following year. Today we have about 230 acres of rubber distributed in the area under Padiyatalawa and the Maha Oya Divisional Secretariats.

There were some shortcomings; planting was delayed though timely planting is a must for proper establishment under suboptimal climatic conditions, fertiliser could not be applied on time with correct quantities, 2009 drought hit some sites badly. Inspite of it we obtained a satisfactory growth of rubber plants.

On average, the girth increment rate of 7.3 cm per year was recorded in all sites monitored and this is comparable with what was recorded for smallholders in traditional rubber growing areas. The two rubber holdings which were first planted are ready for commercial harvesting of latex.

To commemorate President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s swearing-in for the second-term, the first rubber tree was tapped on November 21 with the participation of Minister of Plantation Industries Mahinda Samarasinghe The land of P.B. Attanayake, the very first farmer to grow rubber in the Eastern Province was the venue. Other farmers, top officials in the region and well-wishers witnessed this historic inaugural harvesting of rubber trees in Eastern Province.

Historic tapping

The dedication and commitment of farmers is place, but with no funds from the Nagenahira Navodaya and National Science Foundation, this project would not be a success. The encouragement and direction from present and former Directors and Chairmen of RRISL and also the Ministry of Plantation Industries were the driving force. Apart from RRISL, two other organisations shouldered the project - Rubber Development Department and Divisional Secretariats of Padiyatalawa and Maha Oya. Whilst the RDD provided plants and other material inputs under the subsidy program the Divisional Secretariats released the land for rubber where possible. Special thanks go out to all who assisted to cultivate rubber in the East.

All former and present Director Generals of the RDD and Divisional Secretaries inspected the progress. The rubber in this region will provide a threefold benefit to the nation. Firstly, with the increase in raw rubber production and rubber products manufacture, the economy of the country will flourish; the ultimate target is to have 10,000 ha of rubber in the region. Secondly, the empowerment of the rural poor with a stable income, one hectare of rubber will provide a minimum of Rs. 30,000 per month, over half the average annual income of a family. There would be a paradigm shift in the rural economy. This would increase the tree cover, with many environmental benefits.

On the same day of the historic tapping of rubber trees in the East, the office building of RRISL’s substation in Moneragala was also opened by Minister of Plantation Industries Mahinda Samarasinghe with the participation of Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Sumedha Jayasena to cater to the research and development needs of the Eastern and Uva provinces

Both writers are staffers attached to the Adaptive Research Unit of the Rubber Research Institute of Sri Lanka