GRI opens natural rubber center to support farmers

Colombo, Sri Lanka – Speciality tire maker Global Rubber Industries (Pvt.) Ltd. has opened a natural rubber collection centre in the Monaragala district of Sri Lanka in order to support local rubber tree planters.

The centre, opened 25 June, is part of GRI's Green-X Circle initiative and will allow local farmers "to earn fair value for their hard work" in growing natural rubber. 

The facility also serves as a meeting point for Green-X Circle rubber farmers 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 Mahesha Ranasoma said. "We will help the rural farming community to achieve their ambitions."

Ranasoma 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.'"

GRI said the centre will illustrate what it calls the Green-X Circle: the rubber farmers, the GRI community and the agriculture farmers whose produce are consumed globally.

"We aim to unite farmers by underscoring the fact that farmers connect the world we live today," Ranasoma said. "The opening of this new rubber collection center is an important step towards building our Green-X Circle."

Prabhash Subasinghe, GRI's founder and managing director, said the company aims "to move humanity to make a positive impact on our planet. Our purpose is to inspire greatness."