More non-rubber areas being brought under rubber production in SL
View(s):Export of rubber products amounted to US$887 million and natural rubber amounted to $71 million – a growth of 3.6 per cent in 2013 while Sri Lanka has become the global leader in solid tyre exports which accounts for over 20 per cent of the global demand.
Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen at the exhibition held during the conference.
This was stated by Bandula Egodage, Chairman, Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) in his opening remarks when the Global Rubber Conference 2014 began in Colombo this week.
The theme of this year’s Conference was “Sowing the Seeds for Sustainable Future’ and it was meant to be a platform for the various industry players in the rubber industry to gather and gain insights on the major challenges and opportunities within the industry.
Mr. Egodage said that Sri Lanka has become a world class rubber products manufacturer supplying to international brands like Komatsu, John Deere, JCB, Caterpillar, Slideal, Continental, Wonder Grip, Mapa, Safety Work, etc.
Rubber planting in Sri Lanka has now moved to non-traditional areas too such as the Moneragala district, some parts of Ampara and in the Northern Province.
More than 250 delegates from 25 countries attended the conference which was supported by the International Rubber Research Development Board (IRRDB) and over 20 international rubber- associated government agencies and associations globally.
On the sidelines of the opening ceremony, Business Times met some of the foreign delegates attending the GRC 2014 and asked them for their views on the industry. M.K. Mehta, General Manager (Rubber Purchase), JK Tyre & Industries Ltd Kochi, India said he was attending the meeting to get information on the entire global perspective of the rubber industry and talk to consumers of rubber and manufacturers of tyres, and the availability and sustainability of the entire rubber industry both up-stream and down-stream and get themselves enlightened.
He said that they are exporting tyres to around 256 countries and domestic and exports constitute around 20 per cent of the Indian market and they export tyres to Sri Lanka too.
Ms Keiko Koyama, Senior Manager, Global Business Development Department, Tokyo Commodity Exchange, Inc, Japan, said they would like to encourage people in the rubber industry to participate in their market.(QP)