COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Specialty tire maker Global Rubber Industries (Pvt.) Ltd. (GRI) has opened a natural rubber collection center in the Monaragala district of Sri Lanka in order to support local rubber tree planters.
The center, which is part of GRI's GREEN-X Circle initiative, will allow local farmers "to earn fair value for their hard work" in growing natural rubber. It opened June 25.
In addition, the center serves as a meeting point for the rubber farmers who belong to the GREEN-X Circle to put on regular forums on related topics as well as offer training programs.
"We are a company built on quality, authenticity and integrity," GRI CEO Dr. Mahesha Ranasoma said in a statement. "We will help the rural farming community to achieve their ambitions. "
He said the farmers' natural rubber product will be used in the country "to build our high-grade agriculture tires that are fitted on the machinery of farmers across the world, creating a unique value chain which begins and ends from 'Farmer to Farmer.'"