According to the Chairman of the Lankem, A. Rajaratnam, planting rubber in Cambodia is expected to begin at the latter part of the ongoing financial year with crops expected approximately within six to seven years.
“The area that finally will be cultivated in Cambodia is nearly four times as large as the company’s cultivations in Sri Lanka and will be key to securing the company’s future financial success”, Rajaratnam added in his review made to the firm’s latest annual report.
The latest move by the plantation firm comes as Lankem believes that it would be extremely difficult for mono-crop firms such as Kotagala and its other plantation arm Agarapatna Plantation, to meet the future wage demands, particularly when the tea markets worsens.
Rajaratnam believes, Kotagala will be in a better position to spread the risks, as it has both tea and rubber plantations.
http://www.news360.lk/politics/news-sri-lankan-cambodia-16-08-2013-firm-to-set-up-a-15000-hectare-rubber-plantation-in-cambodia-667543