Minister Gunawardena reading out a document submitted by the Ministry of Plantations Industries in response to a question raised by JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that there was a downward trend for rubber prices in the world market. Sri Lanka which produced around 1.1 percent of the world natural rubber products was not in a position to cause any impact on the prices of rubber in the world market. The sum total of world natural rubber production last year was around 12,036,000 metric tonnes while Sri Lanka had produced only about 130,421 metric tonnes of natural rubber. The Ministry of Plantations Industries would take action to meet with all stakeholders in the industry to discuss their problems and to find solutions, the minister said.

JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that livelihoods of around 1.1 million people were in jeopardy as the prices of rubber had drastically fallen.

Making a special statement MP Dissanayake said as at December last year, a kilo of crepe rubber was between Rs 300-400 while a kilo of smoked rubber was around Rs 300-350. Prior to that there were occasions in which the price went up to around Rs 500. This year, the prices had plummeted to around Rs 215-230 per kilo. When the prices started going down in January, this year, the authorities said the situation would turn for better within two months. Now, nine months have lapsed but no meaningful action had been taken to arrest the trend of rubber prices going down.

The falling down of prices had resulted in around 130,000 rubber small holders and around 10,000,000 others who perform various jobs related to the rubber industry losing their livelihoods, the MP said.

He accused the government turning blind eye to importing of rubber to the country which would affect the prices in the local market. He demanded to know what measures the government could take to ensure the safety of jobs of those who lived by engaging in rubber Industry. (Special Reporter/HC)