The Ministry of Agriculture and Plantation Industries has unveiled a master plan to expand rubber cultivation in Sri Lanka, aiming to increase the country’s annual natural rubber production by 60 percent in the coming years.
Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industry, Mr. Mahinda Amaraweera, announced plans to initiate rubber cultivation across 100,000 acres in the dry zone areas of Monaragala, Ampara, and Badulla.
The announcement was made during a discussion held yesterday (31st July) with manufacturers involved in the production of Technically Specified Rubber (TSR). Sri Lanka currently houses 10 TSR rubber manufacturing plants, which utilize tree laces (ඔට්ටපාළු) discarded during latex cutting for their products.
However, industrialists highlighted that they are operating at only about 30 percent of their production capacity due to a shortage of tree laces. In response, Minister Amaraweera stated that a comprehensive master plan has been developed for the expansion of rubber cultivation in the aforementioned districts. He has instructed the Rubber Development Department to commence implementation immediately.