Rubber : Moving towards prosperity

By Tithe Farhana

Rubber is an integral part of our modern civilization, it has been

utilizing for producing a new borns’ nipple to aircraft, and it is the third
consuming product of the world after iron & petroleum and most
importantly it’s a friend of environment which is under threat of
change. It is also an indispensable cash crop and military strategic raw
material.

Rubber is produced from the latex of rubber trees (Hevea brasiliensis

Willd. ex Adr. De Juss Muell. Arg.), an exotic deciduous rain forest tree
species of Family Euphorbiaceae. The British planters had brought first
it in this subcontinent during the early twentieth century. Rubber
plantation was commercially launched first in Bangladesh at Ramu,
Cox’s Bazar in 1960-61 and up to 1970 a total of 7,000 acres were
planted. After the independence of Bangladesh in 1971, the new
government provided assistance for rubber plantation, improvement &
growth of rubber industry. Rubber plantation was integrated as a
special programme in the country's First Five-Year Plan. Bangladesh
Forest Industries Development Corporation (BFIDC) was inquired to
search out a total of 10,000 acres of land for rubber plantation and the
annual production target was estimated at 350 tons of rubber by 1977-
78.

Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, Sylhet, and Chittagong Hill Tracts were

identified as the major rubber plantation areas. Bangladesh Forest
Development Industries Corporation (BFIDC) was the sole authority to
plant & production of Rubber till 1978, after that govt. decided to
welcome private entrepreneurs to invest in this sector & they were
allowed entering in this sector in 1980-81. Presently there are 1,300
rubber gardens across the country in private sector. The domestic
production of raw rubber could meet only 35% of the country's
demand up to 1995. The rubber industry in Bangladesh got a hold for
improvement in late 1990s, especially after the signing of the
Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord in 1997. Asian Development Bank
(ADB) provided Tk 52.5 crore in phases from 1979 to 1995 and the
government allocated Tk 13.5 crore after CHT peace accord was
signed in 1997.

Presently, the country has a capacity to produce about 30,000 tones

of rubber a year, but it varies upon market demand, such as, in 2007
only 10,000 tones were produced and16,000 tones for 2008. . During
the -period from July 2005 to October 2007, BFIDC produced 5,692
tones of rubber, nearly 1927.03 tones of rubber were harvested in the
2005-2006 , 2002.74 tones in 2006-2007, and the remaining 512 tones
were produced in the first four months of the 2008 fiscal year. Total
rubber cultivation & production (approx.) in Public & Private Sector in
2007- 2008 is given below table--------

Total rubber cultivation & production (approx.) in Public & Private

Sector.
SL. Name Area (acre) Production(2007-08)
No. M.T.
1. BFIDC 32,635.00 5,915.00
2. Private Sector 31,543.00 2,700.00
(Controlled by standing
committee)
3. Chittagong Hill Tract 13,000.00 1,150.00
Board
4. Dankan Brothers 7,500.00 850.00
5. James Finley 5,000.00 550.00
6. M/s Rageeb Ali 2,500.00 430.00

7. Ispahani Neptune 800.00 80.00

Total = 92978.00 11,675.00

Source: Bangladesh Forest Industries Development Corporation (BFIDC).

As we early mentioned that rubber is the 3rd consuming product of the

world, it is used for producing uncountable products for our everyday
life, natural rubber is the raw material for tyres and tubes of
automobiles, bi-cycle and rickshaw, footwear, belts and shoes, latex
foam, cables and wires, battery boxes, gloves, coats and aprons, air
bags, life jackets and life buoys, adhesives, balloons and toys etc and it
is also essential for processing synthetic rubber.

Most significantly its every part is worthy. After financial utilization of

a plant (extract of latex) for about 30 years, its body is a good source
of furniture timber. After processing a rubber tree, it turns into
excellent timber for making furniture and other useful materials; it can
be a good source of earning foreign currency. It is also envisaging that
rubber and it’s timber may put across a maximum advantages for
country that will generate huge employment opportunity .According to
planters and researchers, it can also help to bring peace in our trouble
Hilly areas by involving tribal people in rubber plantation. Forestry,
Environment, Plantation Crops and Permaculture Consultancy and
Research is granting significance to achieve the following goals by
rubber cultivation.

1. Crop diversification and employment opportunity

2. Land utilization and soil improvement
3. Quick forestation and carbon sink for mitigation of global
warming
4. Creation of environment friendly self-sustainable ecosystems
5. Increase of production and yield at least two folds by next 10
years and high cash return.

Rubber seed kernel is used for extraction of oil, used as lubricant, and
for soap and paint industries as well as it’s cake is also used for
fertilizer and poultry feed. Full-grown rubber plants are the
prospective source of honey. Honeybees collect large quantities of
nectar from extra floral nectarines at the swollen tip of the petiole.
Affluent or latex processing wastes and residues can be used as
fertilizer and making biogas for power. Mr. Motaher Billah Chowdhury –
vice president of Bangladesh rubber garden owners association
comments “Rubber trees inhale 3 times more carbon- di -oxide and
producing oxygen than other trees. Rubber plantation can reduce air
pollution and put away ecological balance”. While the world is facing
the affects of climate change, rubber can be protected sentinel for
putting off this.

Fallen leaves of rubber trees adjoin 6 to 7 tons per hectare of biomass.

Additionally, rubber roots construct a very good net spreading in the
top soil up to a depth 1 to 1.5 m and increase the porosity of the soil.
Rubber is a very preferred fast growing multipurpose species for quick
afforestation. It works as a good ‘carbons sink’ that will be supportive
in reducing global warming. Rubber plantations have a green image
and are inherently environment friendly. Properly managed plantations
are self-sustainable ecosystems and could maintain a fair degree of
biodiversity.

To achieve this target a National Rubber policy should be introduced.

Owner’s Association strongly demanding a Rubber Board, where a
Research & Development wing will be devoted for continues
improvement of rubber product. Govt. has to extend its hand for
marketing our product by sending delegates & arranging fairs to
outside the country. Lack of expertise in this sector is a big obstacle for
growing, here govt or BFIDC should hire foreign expert for the time
being for improvement of this industry. Another important element is
infrastructure, construction of road communication & electricity is must
for improvement of this sector, which are inadequate, finally financing,
Bangladesh Krishi Bank is the only financer for rubber planter, though
after devastating cyclone of 1997 it stopped to disburse any further
loan, so, planters are facing to invest further, according to S. M.
Haroon ur Rashid – general secretary of Bangladesh rubber garden
owners association “Alone with BKB other govt. & private banks
should come forward immediately to solve the financing problem to
excel its production & improvement, because recent price in world
market booming after recession in 2008”.

Participation of Bangladesh rubber garden owners association in the

`India rubber expo 2009’ has played an imperative rule to introduce
Bangladesh Rubber industry to the world. “it opened an window for
export market for us by participating India rubber expo 2009 which
was Asia’s largest rubber show and second largest in the world and it
has given us an unique opportunity to present Bangladeshi rubber to
the world market, where world’s giant companies & associations were
shown interest”, said Mr. Motaher Billah Choudhury – vice president of
Bangladesh rubber garden owners association, now we sincerely
expecting govt. attention & participation towards our efforts, he added.

According to International Rubber Study group, there is a gap between

production & consumption of natural rubber in the world, present world
production is 9.8 Million & demand is 10.11 million a year, and price in
the world market per KG is $238-240, whereas tk. 100 to 105 in our
local market, though we are producing high quality RSS5 grade of
rubber. So, there is a huge potential of this industry in our country.

Researchers and planters have emphasized on community based

farming and integrated farming system in relation to rubber plantation
and production. To develop in private sector rubber gardening,
diversified agro based plantation can employ great impact. We can
plant other timbers and tress in rubber gardens. Even if rubber
gardens can play magnificent functions in tourism industry. The natural
splendor of rubber gardens may magnetize tourists in home and
abroad. Since technology is prime condition for advancement in
industrialization and agricultural development, it must put emphasis on
this sector for doubling production to 60,000 tones a year by 2020
Approximate production, local demand and export of rubber in
Bangladesh till the year 2020 is given below graph -----
Source: Bangladesh Rubber Garden Owner's Association

Special thanks to Mr. Motaher Billah Chowdhury - Vice President and

Mr. S.M. Haroon-ur-Rashid - General Secretary of Bangladesh Rubber
Garden Owner's Association .
Faruqqur Roshid Choudhury, Rubber Consultant. Duncan brothers
Limited
Maruf Abdullah Choudhury, Assistant Manager, Duncan brothers
Limited