The National Apprenticeship Board has taken steps to provide national vocational skills certificates to rubber harvesting assistants related to the rubber industry, following a request from the Ministry of Agriculture and Plantation Industries.
Accordingly, 169 who worked as rubber harvesting assistants for the first time in our country were awarded NVQ-3 certificates yesterday (15) at Agalawatta Rubber Research Institute after two weeks of intensive training.
The awarding of certificates was done under the participation of the Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industries, Mr. Mahinda Amaraweera, and the Chairman of the Rubber Research Board, Lakshman Abeygunasekara, the Director of the National Rubber Research Institute and many other officials participated in the event. National Apprenticeship Board Vice President Mr.S. H. Harishchandra also participated in this event.
In order to protect the dignity of the rubber tapper, they were called as rubber harvesting assistants. Also, the Rubber Research Institute had taken steps to present the certificates to the rubber harvesting assistants wearing a graduation cloak during the presentation of the National Vocational Skills Certificates.
The Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industries, Mr. Mahinda Amaraweera, who expressed his views here-
There are 35 million rubber trees in our country. Only 17 million of them harvest latex. The remaining 18 million rubber trees are not harvested. Our country’s crepe rubber is currently considered the best rubber in the world. Annually, our country receives 1000 million USD from the export of rubber. But we have the ability to increase this amount to 2000 million USD.
In the lower wet zone, especially in Kalutara district, most of the lands where rubber is cultivated do not get a proper harvest. There are several reasons for that. One is the rain that comes to this area. Another issue is labor shortage. Because of this, new technology should be introduced to tapping rubber.
Also, the Rubber Research Institute should think about whether to expand rubber cultivation in these areas. Instead, rubber cultivation can be expanded to areas like Monaragala, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Ampara in the dry zone.
Today these rubber harvesting assistants were given national competency certificates. It is very good. In addition, we were able to provide these NVQ-3 certificates to the people who harvest related to the palmyrah, kithul, and coconut industries. People involved in that industry get a certificate with this kind of training, so they get an opportunity to earn income abroad. The minister also said.
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