Sri Lanka (Daily News) -- The Government is to invest over Rs. 400 million on the rubber industry this year to encourage future markets for rubber products, Director Rubber Research Institute Dr. Asoka Nugawela told the Daily News. He said the future requirement for rubber will be more than 150,000 metric tons per year and raw material should be available to meet this demand. To meet this demand the Rubber Research Institute has developed a new clone which would give a yield of 2,500 kg per year per hectare annually which is the maximum potential level. At present the growers get only 1100 kg per hectare. The Rubber Development Department is in the process of moving away from confining to traditional growing areas and has started expanding to non-traditional areas such as Moneragala, Matale and also to the Eastern province as a long-term measure to develop the industry. In 2006 the total production of rubber was 109,000 metric tons and this was an increase of 5,000 metric tons compared to 2005.
