More land under rubber

Harshini PERERA

Rubber tapping

Rubber will be planted on 1,800 hectares in traditional rubber growing areas such as Kalutara, Ratnapura, Kegalle, Galle, Matara, Kurunegala, Matale, Gampaha and Colombo and 500 hectares will be planted in non-traditional areas such as Badulla, Ampara, Hambantota and Moneragala, said the Director Development, Rubber Development Department of Sri Lanka, R.B. Premadasa.

The larger plantations tend to replant rubber rather than the smallholders said Colombo Rubber Traders Association, Chairman M.S.Rahim. The rubber industry in Sri Lanka has been affected due to the lack of skilled labour and gradual shrinkage in rubber lands.

Though rubber production in Sri Lanka was high last year 120,000 tons, there has been a decline due to the bad weather this year especially from May to August. Sixty percent of the total rubber production is used annually locally while only 40 percent is exported, he said.

He said that 122,000 hectares were used for rubber plantation in Sri Lanka. The smallholder management occupied about sixty percent of the total lands. He said that less than one acre is occupied by each smallholder and it yields less production during bad weather. Some lands have been already used for building purposes and are not replanted.

He said that at present rubber fetches over Rs. 225 a kg at the auction in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka exports only white crepe rubber which has a demand in the world market. The remaining production is used locally as raw rubber for various industries.