Sri Lanka to grow rubber sector

During the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) Annual Rubber Conference, held in Colombo on 8 October, the secretary to Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Plantation Industries stated that the country intends to significantly expand its rubber sector over the coming decade. At present the sector is estimated to be worth around US$1.2 billion dollars to Sri Lanka; the ANRPC reports Sudharma Karunaratne said the country will, with the aid of the Asian Development Bank, develop the rubber industry into a $3.0 billion sector.