Planting subsidy for small scale rubber estate owners

A planting subsidy of Rs 175,000 per hectare is being granted to small scale rubber estate owners for replanting by uprooting the trees of rubber which have exceeded the economically productive age, Plantation Industries Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said in Parliament yesterday.

He also said that a planting subsidy of Rs. 150,000 per hectare is also granted for them for new planting of rubber in feasibility established lands.

He added that with a view to developing the rubber cultivation, small scale rubber estate owners are also granted a planting subsidy of Rs 4,000 per hectare for intercropping during the immature stage of the rubber cultivation.

He observed that Rubber cultivation in non traditional areas and further expansion of value added rubber products are being encouraged by the Ministry. The Minister was responding to a question raised by UPFA MP AHM Azwer.