Following good work of RRI scientists:

Sharp increase in rubber yield

Ramani Kangaraarachchi

The rubber yield per hectare today has increased up to 3,000 kgs compared to 350kgs in the past as a result of good work of our scientists at the Rubber Research Institute, said Chairman, Rubber Research Board (RRB) J.Y. Peiris.

He was speaking at the Centennial Rubber Conference Sri Lanka 2009 themed "Development of Natural Rubber Industry through empowerment of stakeholders" at the Hilton Colombo, yesterday.

Rubber tapping in progress

He said that it took five days to dry a rubber sheet earlier and through research and development the scientists reduced it to one day. "People could feel that the industry has been very slow over 100 years but it has progressed despite many challenges," Peiris said. Head of the Plant Science Department, RRISL, Dr Priyanthi Seneviratne said that Sri Lanka has the best quality rubber in the world but it was necessary to adopt recommended practices to improve and maintain that quality.

She said that the yield of Sri Lankan rubber is only 1,300 kgs per hectare but there is the potential to increase it to 3,000 kgs and there is a long way to go. No one is competent to reach the upper limits of the potential quantity, she said.

A Guest Speaker at the event, Secretary General, International Rubber Research Development Board, (IRRDB), Dr. Abdul Aziz S.A. Kadir speaking on "Future challenges for the rubber industry" said that the plantation industry has reduced their involvement in rubber due to the unfavourable prices and labour problems, and it is now a predominantly smallholder crop with 85 percent of the world's production produced by the smallholders.

He said that there are several challenges which require urgent attention of the research institutes as well as extension agencies. The smallholders have to be exposed to new technologies to increase their productivity and income.Dr Aziz said that for example smallholders should be supplied with certified clones and be properly advised on proper agro - management inputs to reduce the immaturity period to about five years.

Since tapping and collection is a major cost item, low intensity tapping systems (LITS) and low frequency tapping should be adopted by the estate sector to address their labour problems.

Eighty-five percent of the world's natural rubber production goes to the tyre industry, and it is important to ensure that consistent quality rubber is produced by smallholders, he said.