Rubber industry facelift under Rs 30.6 mln plan

Sri Lanka’s rubber industry is to receive a facelift under a 30.6 million-rupee Treasury grant allocated to the “Thurusaviya” (cess) Fund.

The Plantation Industries Minister D.M. Jayaratne said in a press release issued by the Ministry that the money will be spent for capital and recurrent expenditure including small holding, production and marketing development. The objectives of the Fund are to enhance the social status and income levels of rubber smallholders through savings, to promote investment opportunities in the rubber industry, to establish, improve and provide facilities such as processing units, rubber factories and other facilities to small holders, to promote sales and marketing of rubber products, as well as to process in processing units and rubber factories, among other matters.

The programme is to be launched among rubber smallholders in Kalutara, Kegalle, Ratnapura, Galle, Matara, Colombo and Gampaha districts.