The Rubber Planters Association (RPA) says the export of unprocessed rubber robs the Liberian Government of revenue and causes the country’s rubber industry not to achieve its full potential. The group believes that this places the sector at the lower index of rubber producing countries and cannot reach the threshold of the International Rubber Research and Development Board, (IRRDB) and the Global Platform of Sustainable Natural Rubber.
Speaking with reporters Tuesday, August 20, 2024 in Monrovia, the association’s Vice President, T. Bannies Brown said the government granted the exporters of unprocessed rubber a dispensation of tw o months from June and July, 2024 to ship their unprocessed rubber which was already stocked in containers at the Free Port of Monrovia.
However, Brown alleged that the exporters of unprocessed natural rubber have reverted to abusing the privilege to ship unprocessed rubber, which he said is inimical and repugnant to the Moratorium.
He said the resumption of exportation of natural rubber over the last two weeks has reignited theft on local rubber plantations, dropped the daily purchase of coagulated rubber by processors and posed threats to farmers’ night guard securities; loss of productions on private farms is increasing and illicit tapping is rising.
Brown observed that the evasion of government sale withholding tax payment by these “economic saboteurs” and their collaborators is undermining the legitimate collection of the Rubber Development Fund.
Meanwhile, the Rubber Planters Association has recommended for the Government of Liberia to put out an alert to eliminate saboteurs and those who flout the law.He said the Liberian rubber industry should meet global standards that Liberian farmers can get a fair market price of their produce.
It can be recalled that the administration of President George Weah issued an Executive Order in November 2023, upheld by the Boakai Administration to protect the rubber, regulate the rubber industry in consonance with Article 5 of the Liberian Constitution.
