RPAL, RDFI Demand Permanent Law on Raw Rubber Export Ban | Business

The Rubber Planters Association of Liberia (RPAL) and the Rubber Development Fund Incorporated (RDFI) have called on the Government of Liberia to transform Executive Order No. 166, which bans the export of unprocessed natural rubber, into permanent legislation, arguing that the policy is critical to expanding domestic rubber processing, creating jobs, and strengthening one of the country’s most important economic sectors.

Addressing journalists at a press conference in Congo Town on Wednesday, July 8, RPAL and RDFI officials said the temporary executive measure should be converted into law to encourage investment in rubber processing and manufacturing, increase value addition, and ensure that a greater share of the economic benefits from Liberia’s natural rubber industry remains within the country.

The organizations reaffirmed their support for Executive Order No. 166, issued by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai and effective July 1, 2026, which prohibits the export of unprocessed natural rubber.

Speaking on behalf of RPAL, Vice President Bennie Brown said the Executive Order is designed to protect Liberia’s economy by ensuring that raw rubber is processed domestically before export.

“The export of unprocessed natural rubber undermines the operations of rubber processing factories operating in Liberia,” Brown said, naming Firestone Liberia, the Liberia Agriculture Company (LAC), Cavalla Rubber Corporation, and other processors as companies that depend on a reliable domestic supply of raw materials.

According to Brown, diverting raw rubber to foreign markets deprives local processors of essential inputs, threatening factory operations, employment opportunities, and government revenue. He argued that maintaining sufficient supplies for domestic processors would enable factories to increase production, operate additional shifts, and create more jobs for Liberians.

He noted that Liberia’s rubber industry has existed for more than 90 years and contributes approximately 16 percent of national revenue, making it one of the country’s most significant economic sectors.

Brown warned that weakening the local processing industry by allowing continued exports of unprocessed rubber could affect thousands of workers across the rubber value chain, including plantation workers, factory employees, transporters, and other service providers, while reducing government income.

He maintained that domestic processing generates greater economic value than exporting raw materials, arguing that Liberia should focus on retaining jobs and industrial activity rather than exporting them.

“Exporting unprocessed rubber effectively exports jobs while importing poverty,” Brown said.

RDFI Chairman Tokpah Mulbah also defended the Executive Order, describing it as a long-overdue policy aimed at strengthening Liberia’s industrial capacity and encouraging investment in local manufacturing.

Mulbah said RDFI would work closely with the Ministries of Agriculture, Commerce, and Finance, along with other government institutions, to support the implementation of the Executive Order.

He encouraged investors interested in Liberia’s rubber sector to establish processing facilities within the country instead of exporting raw materials, arguing that even small-scale processing plants could create employment opportunities while adding value to Liberia’s natural resources.

Mulbah further noted that several rubber-producing countries, including Ghana, Nigeria, and others in West and Central Africa, either prohibit or strictly regulate the export of unprocessed rubber to protect domestic industries and maximize economic returns.

Beyond supporting the export ban, RDFI highlighted ongoing efforts to modernize Liberia’s rubber sector through farmer support programs.

According to Mulbah, the organization has established more than 50 nurseries nationwide, producing approximately two million improved rubber seedlings valued at over US$600,000. He said RDFI has also provided farmers with free technical training, improved planting materials, and extension services aimed at increasing productivity and helping Liberia comply with international traceability requirements, including the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).

The organizations also responded to criticism from the National Rubber Brokers and Farmers Union, rejecting claims that the group represents 300,000 smallholder farmers. RPAL and RDFI maintained that Liberia has more than 60,000 rubber farmers and emphasized that both institutions are statutory bodies established by law to regulate and develop the sector.

Officials accused some unlicensed brokers of purchasing rubber outside the legal framework, evading taxes, and contributing to plantation theft, while stressing that licensed brokers remain free to operate if they comply with existing laws and regulations.

Responding to questions from journalists, the organizations dismissed suggestions of divisions within the rubber sector, arguing that opposition to the Executive Order largely comes from illegal brokers rather than legitimate rubber producers.

They emphasized that producers have the right to determine how their products are marketed and called on all stakeholders to engage through established legal channels.

The organizations also recommended that the Liberia Revenue Authority issue taxpayer identification numbers to all registered rubber farmers to strengthen transparency, improve traceability, and support future access to financial services.

According to RDFI, implementation of Executive Order No. 166 will be jointly enforced by the Liberia Revenue Authority, the Ministries of Agriculture and Commerce, Customs authorities, Joint Security personnel, and a dedicated task force responsible for inspecting buying centers, processing facilities, and export points to ensure compliance.

Concluding the press conference, RPAL and RDFI reiterated that Liberia’s long-term development depends on building a competitive, value-added rubber industry rather than relying on the export of raw materials. They urged policymakers to convert the temporary Executive Order into permanent legislation to safeguard jobs, increase government revenue, and promote sustainable industrial growth.