Additional payment for rubber smallholders

Wadduwa special correspondent

The Plantation Industries Ministry is taking every possible step to revive the rubber plantation industry by granting subsidies and concessions.

The Ministry will grant a supplementary amount of Rs. 20 per kilogram of rubber to overcome the economic downturn of the rubber plantations and help to upgrade the living standard of the rubber cultivators of the country," Minister D.M. Jayaratne said. The Minister participating at a ceremony held at the Town Hall, Kalutara handed cheques to rubber smallholders in the Kalutara district.

The Minister said that according to the Rubber Research Institute by applying new technology it is possible to increase the production from 2500kgs to 3000kgs per hectare to earn foreign exchange to the country.

"Rubber was introduced to Sri Lanka by the British as a commercial product, and today it provides employment to Sri Lankans. He said that there is a brighter future for the rubber industry and the prices would never drop in the local market as several foreign countries have consented to purchase rubber from Sri Lanka. Today there is a demand for the by products of rubber including the timber.