Chapter-1: Introduction
1.1. Introduction
Rubber is one of the most important cash crops, with multipurpose uses. It 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. Natural rubber is a vital agricultural commodity used in the manufacture of a wide range of products.
Its production from the rubber tree (systematic name: Hevea brasiliensis) plays a major role in the socio-economic fabric of many developing countries. Over 20 million families are dependent on rubber cultivation for their basic source income.
Hevea brasiliensis was first found in the Amazon basin. The rubber trade became a mainstay of the Brazilian economy, providing at its height almost 40 % of its export revenues. It was not long before the idea was conceived of domesticating rubber. However, Brazil was not the site of the successful commercialization of rubber. Rubber cultivation was, instead, transferred to Southeast Asia. Soon abundant and cheap, rubber was put to thousands of uses. Its reduced cost was an important factor in the emergence of a mass market of automobiles; from two-thirds to three-quarters of the demand for rubber soon came from the makers of tires and tubes for motor vehicles. After tires, latex products, footwear, belts and hoses, and wire cables are the most important uses for rubber. Rubber is harvested in Africa, Central and South America, and in Asia, the latter accounting for greater than 90% of production (Law, 1999).
The British planters first introduced it in Bangladesh in the early twentieth century. But commercial plantation was started in 1961 by the government in Chittagong and Sylhet hilly regions. Later on, plantations were expanded in Chittagong Hill Tracts and Madhupur by the government and public enterprises. The British and some other private companies also planted rubber in the fellow lands of tea estates. At present about 25,000 hectare of land is under rubber plantation in Bangladesh, and annual production is about 7,500 tons against 20,000 tons country’s total demand of natural rubber (NR). Although production of NR is far less than the demand still the price is very low, even less than the cost of production, due to competitive low price of NR and synthetic rubber (SR), a bi-product of crude oil, in the international market.
Considering high productivity, storage, transportation and marketing facilities, the government encouraged its plantation with financial support; land allotment and foreign technical assistance. Public and private enterprises established plantations in different hilly regions and commercial exploitation started successfully within seventh years of plantation. The growth and latex flow is also very encouraging. Since maintenance and processing cost is relatively very low and a good price of rubber prevailed till 1996, it was considered an important crop with high potentiality.
There are 16 governmental rubber estates in three different zones of Bangladesh, i.e. seven is located in Chittagong Zone, four in Sylhet Zone and five in Modhupur Zone of Tangail District.
BFIDC has five rubber estates under its Modhupur zone. These are Pirgacha estate, Chandpur estate, Sontoshpur estate, Komolapur estate and Karnajura estate. A total of 354 tones of rubber are produced every day from 7934 acres in Modhupur zone.
Pirgacha rubber garden was established in 1986 with an area of 2135 acres and now it is 3010 acres which started its latex production in 1995-96.
The aims of this study are to explore present management and production status of Pirgacha Rubber Garden as a representative of whole Rubber sector in Bangladesh.
1.2. Objectives
- To explore and evaluate the present management status of the Pirgacha Rubber garden.
- To know production performance and status of Pirgacha Rubber Garden.
- To identify the problems of the garden and making necessary recommendations to solve the problems.
1.3. Rational of the study
Rubber plays an important role in national economy and it has great prospect in near future. The climatic condition of some parts of our country is highly favorable for cultivation of rubber. Rubber is an industrial crop and so many rubber based industries are available here, but the raw materials are not sufficient.
The rubber production of Pigacha Rubber Garden is in highest position in Bangladesh among the other rubber gardens in Bangladesh, though it is not the largest garden of Bangladesh according to area. The production performance of this is best which contributes partially in the national economy by marketing of rubber through out the country. So it is necessary to know about the rubber cultivation, management, production, uses and market price. For that purpose it is badly needed to find out the actual information about the cultivation, management procedure and production system of the rubber garden. That’s why the present study is conducted.
