Sri Lanka, being an island blessed with many natural resources, is said to have land that is viable for any type of plantation, rubber being one of them. Rubber is utilised in various forms, ranging from its rawest state to value-added and export-worthy rubber products.
However, statistics make it evident that the total rubber production has been declining since 2012.
The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) states that the export earnings from rubber and rubber finished products had decreased by 19.70% Year-on-Year (YoY) to $ 80.16 million in August 2023.
Among the many other reasons, the shortage of rubber tappers appears to be the main reason for the drop in production and the deterioration of Sri Lanka’s rubber industry.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning Business, Ministry of Plantation Rubber Department Director General Chandima Muhandiramge said that rubber tappers were leaving the rubber industry due to inadequate wages and a lack of social recognition. “Typically, they compare their earnings with those of other income sources. However, this is just one of the many reasons,” he said.
Training and tech support
Meanwhile, Rubber Research Institute of Sri Lanka (RRISL) Chairman Lakshman Abeysekara pointed out major reasons for the deterioration of Sri Lanka’s rubber industry.
“The rubber industry is a labour-intensive long-term investment. There is a labour shortage because employment choices change due to urbanisation. This situation applies not only to rubber but other industries as well,” Abeysekara said.
“We are now training, promoting, and offering support to traditional rubber tappers. We have initiated the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) Level 3 certification for them to recognise, recruit, and encourage their involvement in the sector and to facilitate upscaling,” Abeysekara stated.
Accordingly, he noted that the Chinese Automated Rubber Harvesting Robot had been tested recently with the collaboration and support of the local agent and that they were still in the testing stage to replace the rubber tappers who cut rubber.
He further noted that India was now utilising Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and digital technologies for integrated agriculture management systems and that negotiations were underway to adopt these technologies as well.
Positive initiative
Speaking to The Sunday Morning Business, Sri Lanka Association of Manufacturers and Exporters of Rubber Products (SLAMERP) Director General Sisira Ranatunga said that while the initiative with the Automated Rubber Harvesting Robot was a positive step, further research and validation were essential.
He said: “We need to consider other constraints, such as investing in this new machinery. Since we require machines for each rubber plant, the issue of funding arises. I don’t believe that small farmers can afford it, considering that over 75-80% of rubber comes from smallholders in Sri Lanka. Determining who will invest in this is crucial. Despite these challenges, I see this as a positive move and I believe it should be the way forward.”
Automated Rubber Harvesting Robot
Intelligent Harvest Technologies (IHT) developed the Automated Rubber Harvesting Robot, an intelligent machine designed to harvest rubber autonomously based on a remotely set schedule. It includes features such as a rainguard, data analytics, and a mobile and desktop operating application.
Anunine Holdings Chairman and Managing Director Anurath Abeyratne, speaking to The Sunday Morning Business, stated: “We already have samples installed at the Rubber Research Institute. We conducted a harvest for testing purposes and 5,000 machines are on the way.
“We are waiting for the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) to grant us access because the process with the Automated Rubber Harvesting Robot is an online operation through the gateway. We are likely to receive it by the end of next month. The matter of bandwidth is currently being processed through the Engineering Council, Sri Lanka (ECSL).”
Abeyratne highlighted that the initiative aimed to address the shortage of rubber tappers in the industry, primarily caused by a lack of skilled tappers. “Currently, even plantation companies face challenges as they struggle to find skilled tappers, resulting in damage to the trees. Additionally, smallholders refrain from tapping due to the scarcity of skilled labour. Today, among the millions of rubber trees in the plantations, nearly 50% are idle due to the shortage of skilled tappers,” he said, noting that the introduction of the new machine was intended to overcome these challenges, safeguarding Sri Lanka’s rubber industry.
“Currently, we only generate $ 1 billion in income from rubber products, including rubber tyres and gloves. Properly harvesting and utilising the idle trees can potentially generate an additional $ 1 billion in revenue,” Abeyratne said.
“The rubber tree generates latex at 4 a.m., which coincides with the coolest period in the country within 24 hours, making it the optimal time for tapping. Through an online process, all trees can be tapped within a short period. Subsequently, the latex can be collected at 6 a.m., which is the primary advantage of the Automated Rubber Harvesting Robot,” Abeyratne said.
“The next generation is not inclined to join this industry for manual tapping. However, if they do decide to participate, we aim to involve them in the technology and technical processes through training and introduce them to this industry,” he further noted.
Further reasons for industry deterioration
RRISL Chairman Abeysekara pointed to the rubber leaf fall disease as another reason for the declining production of rubber. He said that this disease had led to a 30-40% production decline globally, affecting Sri Lanka as well. “The fertility of the plantation land is low, resulting in poor productivity, and the soil is susceptible to diseases as well,” he said.
According to SLAMERP, out of the 98,583 ha of rubber plantation land on the island, 15,000 ha are affected by the rubber leaf fall disease. Therefore, a national plan is in the process of being implemented by the RRISL and the Rubber Development Department of Sri Lanka to combat the leaf fall disease in rubber plantations from October 2023.
“Strategically, we are shifting the new plantations into non-traditional areas like Ampara and Monaragala, where labour is available. In those areas, rainfall is low and there are disease-resistant varieties,” Abeysekara stated.
“We have about 70% smallholders and 30% Regional Plantation Companies (RPCs). Until recently, the smallholders were supported by the State through subsidies. This has now changed; other than providing planting material, the State doesn’t have the funds to support smallholders,” he said.
SLAMERP Director General Ranatunga said that some non-traditional areas such as Monaragala had been identified, which presented excellent opportunities for new rubber cultivation.
“Despite the ongoing expansion of rubber plantations, the value addition in products made from rubber is steadily increasing. Although there was a slight decline last year, we experienced a very successful export period for rubber products after value addition. We are facing a significant challenge in sourcing an ample supply of raw rubber,” he explained.
“There is a misconception about rubber plantations being converted into palm oil farms, which is not accurate. Some believe that there will be profit in the short term through this. However, based on our understanding and according to records and facts, the rubber sector has a higher total value addition. This is because we convert all rubber into finished products and essentially export the value-added product. In contrast, there’s no such value addition with palm oil,” Ranatunga stated.
“The controlling of the rubber tree crown, along with nurseries for plantation, has been well-managed in the past. However, there is currently a dearth of both replanting and new planting initiatives,” he observed.
“Another factor is the heavy rainfall last year, which was about three times higher compared to 2022, which also had an impact. Although we have a rubber master plan comprising approximately 27 projects, unfortunately, there is no real acceptance from the authorities, especially from the Government,” Ranatunga said.
Natural rubber production and consumption
Source: Rubber Research Institute of Sri Lanka