‘We have identified new areas to plant Rubber. Monaragala will soon be a major producing district. So too Ampara, And also Hambantota. Rubber has progressed in leaps and bounds since rubber seed was discovered by Henry Wykham, ex the Amazon forests in South America.’ Said Minister D.M.jayaratne yesterday at the Centennial Rubber conference.

Rubber was an extremely valuable crop contributing substantially to the Gross domestic Product.( GDP), more importantly its value addition has been instrumental in overall forex earnings which now stands at Rs.72,billion. The Rubber research Institute (RRI) has now developed high yielding clones.

The RRI was first the Rubber Research Scheme, and at that time yields were approximately 300 kilos per hectare . However with development in the industry possibility of yields increasing to 3000 kilos per hectare are not considered implausible.

He said new planting material was developed by the RRI, and the new clone RRISL would ensure higher yields and expectations were that yields.

Additional areas to be planted in Rubber would further boost the industry and value addition would meet world demand for locally made products.

The new clone developed would also facilitate tapping during rainy weather and distinctly contribute to increased yields, he said.

Present at the Centennial Rubber conference Sri Lanka, -2009, at the head table were also Director RRISL, Dr. A.Nugawela, Secretary Ministry of Plantation Industries Ms. Indrani Sugathadasa, Chairman Rubber Research Board J.Y.Peiris, Guest speaker, Secretary General IRRDB Dr. Abdul Aziz, Guest Speaker, Head of Economics and Statistics department, IRSG, Gerard Stapleton., who also spoke.

Ms. Indrani Sugathadasa, said approximately 130, million tons were produced already, and expectations were that this figure would be increased to 150 million by 2050. Additionally 500,000 people were directly and indirectly beneficiaries of rubber. This number was growing. Prosperity that would accrue would not be insubstantial. Of note was that there were many families, known as small holders who were directly dependent on this crop for their subsistence. In that their families were also actively involved in working their plots.

She said the industry needed support from all sectors. Mostly the formal plantation sector who were well represented at yesterday’s conference.

Gerard Stapleton who addressed the conference, said the automobile industry expected to grow rather than slow down would absorb more rubber based products. Additionally tyre industries; world wide would absorb growing crops and rubber base products.