-Enters into Tapper’s ‘World’ as Salala Rubber Corporation Resumes Full Operations
The new owner of the Salala Rubber Corporation (SRC), Indian businessman and magnate, Mr. (Shri) Upjit Singh Sachdeva, is not one of those big-shots or bosses who only sit in cozy offices while their subordinates or employees are working in conditions that they (bosses) have not experienced themselves.
Dr. Sachdeva, who is more famously known in Liberia as “Jeety”, was seen standing with two buckets full of the white latex, which seeps from the natural rubber tree. The buckets were balanced on his shoulder by a flattened reed stick. When full, each bucket is said to weigh 75 pounds or 34 kilograms. So, both buckets will be 140 pounds or 68 kilograms. Those are the same buckets that tappers tote daily; so, their over-all boss, not minding his personality, entered into their world and felt some of their ‘discomforts.’
Jeety finally took over the ownership of the 4,400-acre SRC Rubber Plantation on August 26, 2024. It had been formerly owned and operated by the Socfinaf S.A.
That divestment marked a strategic move by the company, which has been grappling with sustained financial losses in SRC operations for several years.
Following that announcement, Jeety, which owns and operates the Jeety Rubber LLC, began to put mechanisms into place in other to resume full operations of the plantation, which is the third largest in the country, having over 960 employees including tappers, headmen, cup cleaners and security guards.
Jeety’s participation in the latex toting also marked the resumption of full operations under the new management. This signaled a significant economic boost for the people of Weala, Margibi County, and the country’s rubber industry.
The reopening of SRC comes after its revitalization by Jeety Rubber LLC, a subsidiary of the Jeety Conglomerate, which acquired the plantations from its parent company, Socfin Group, a Belgian-French agricultural conglomerate.
Socfinaf S. A. cited years of financial losses and violent workers’ protests in mid-June—over housing conditions, medical care for work-related injuries, and other demands—as key reasons for its decision to divest its SRC operations.
Speaking to reporters at the SRC plantation recently, Jeety expressed optimism about the future of the company, stating that the “reopening represents a new chapter for SRC, the workers, and the entire country.”
“We are determined to run this company efficiently, ensuring that the operations here contribute meaningfully to Liberia’s economy and uplift the lives of the people,” Sachdeva said.
SRC’s shutdown in June led to the layoff of the entire workforce — many of whom are from local communities but with the company reopening now, Jeety has vowed to maintain the same workforce.
And with rubber being one of Liberia’s most valuable exports, the company’s return to production is also projected to contribute positively to the Liberian economy.
Speaking further recently, Jeety further reassured SRC stakeholders of the company’s long-term commitment to improving workers’ livelihoods, empowering project communities, and providing growth opportunities for small businesses in Weala.
“This is just the beginning. With dedication and collaboration, SRC will regain its position as a leader in the rubber industry. We will grow together with the communities around us,” he promised.
In addition to providing jobs, SRC’s revival will have ripple effects on local businesses, as small traders and service providers are poised to benefit from increased commercial activities around the plantation.
Industry observers have welcomed the news, noting that SRC’s resumption of operations will further increase the supply of Liberian rubber on the global market, boosting government tax revenue.
However, it is not yet clear how much boom will the country’s revenue gain from the Jeety Rubber LLC plantation. But it is expected to be in millions of US dollars. At the moment, Jeety Rubber LLC operates a rubber processing factory, from which the Indian businessman disclosed last August 2023, that his over US$40-million rubber-processing factory investment in Weala, will generate between US$40 to US$50 million in foreign exchange and contribute substantially to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) annually for the Liberian government.
In addition to the huge sum of money, he also said that his company will employ 700 and more Liberians.
