Rubber-based industries booming:

Rubber cultivation in non traditional areas

By Gamini WARUSHAMANNA

The Ministry of Plantation and the Rubber Research Institute (RRI) has taken steps to extend rubber cultivation to non traditional areas in the country, especially in the dry zone, said Dr V.H.L.Rodrigo of the Adaptive Research Unit of the RRI.

He said that with the liberalised economy, rubber-based industries are booming in Sri Lanka targeting local and export markets.

There is a huge international demand for raw rubber. By the end of the next four years, the country would need 150,000 MT per year to meet the escalating demand from local rubber -based industries according to predictions.

Considering the global demand for raw rubber exports, 200,000 MT of natural rubber will be produced per year by 2016, according to the Minister of Plantation Industries, Mahinda Samarasinghe.

Lands in the traditional rubber growing areas, i.e. in the wet zone, is virtually insufficient to meet this demand.

Therefore, with the directions of the line ministry, rubber cultivation is being extended to the drier non-traditional areas of the country. Research on issues in the rubber cultivation has been carried out by Dr. V.H.L. Rodrigo and Dr. S.M.M. Iqbal of the Adaptive Research Unit of the RRI.

The first effort, rubber cultivation in the intermediate zone of the Uva province, particularly the Moneragala district, has been successful with the ultimate aim of cultivating 40,000 ha of rubber.

Very recently, scientists of the RRI have shown the potential of cultivating rubber in another 10,000 ha in the intermediate zone of Eastern province; hence the Rubber Development Department (RDD) has assisted small-holder development program under Nagenahira Navodaya with the assistance of local government authorities.Regaining the North drove the Minister of Plantation Industries to investigate the feasibility of growing rubber in this region under the Uthuru Vasanthaya.

The mission given in this regard to the RRI was successful with the assistance of the RDD.

The joint effort made by the staff of RRI, RDD and Ministry of Plantation Industries has been successful. Interim recommendations have been issued on the working protocol for rubber cultivation in North, he said.*