Applauds Contributions to National Development
Monrovia, Liberia – Sevala Naik Mude, India’s Deputy Minister at the Ministry of External Affairs, visited the Jeety state-of-the-art Rubber LLC and Sala Rubber Corporation (SRC) in Weala, Margibi County, on Wednesday, December 18, 2024.
Owned by Indian business tycoon Upjit Singh Sachdeva, better known as Jeety, Mude’s visit, which also served as the extra Secretary for Central and West Africa, highlighted the growing partnership between Liberia and India, especially in the areas of economic growth and investment.
To begin the tour of the facilities, Deputy Minister Mude was welcomed by Jeety, his staff, and the county’s traditional chiefs at the huge SRC rubber plantation in Weala.
A reminder to the increasing Indian investment in Liberia’s agricultural sector is the plantation and factory, which covers several hundred acres.
The deputy minister received a briefing on the several phases of rubber cultivation, including planting, harvesting, and the cutting-edge methods used to increase output.
During the tour, Mr. Mude said, “Your investment here is not just about business; it is about creating jobs, empowering local communities, and contribution to the overall growth of Liberia.” He also praised Jeety’s dedication to sustainable agriculture and his role in bolstering the country’s economy.
The significance of foreign direct investment in developing nations was also emphasized by Deputy Minister Mude, who underlined the necessity of such programs for economic stability and expansion.
Since establishing his activities in Liberia, Jeety, a well-known personality in the nation, has made significant investments in Liberia. His firm has helped to lower unemployment in the region by creating thousands of jobs for Liberians while producing high-quality rubber goods for both domestic and foreign markets.
The US$44 million rubber facility, which has more than 1,000 employees, is outfitted with cutting-edge machinery and strictly adheres to worldwide production standards for rubber goods.
Additionally, throughout the trip, Jeety’s dedication to corporate social responsibility was emphasized, and Mude was shown the several steps involved in the manufacture of rubber, such as the extraction of latex, processing, and packaging.
The firm has started a number of community development projects, including as infrastructural construction in various SRC camps, healthcare initiatives, schools, and educational scholarships for local kids.
At the same time, the Indian Diploma praised these initiatives, stating, “Seeing a business leader who recognizes the value of giving back to the community is encouraging. For countless Liberians, your efforts are opening the door to a better future.”
In addition to helping their companies, he encouraged Jeety and other business executives to embrace eco-friendly techniques that would help protect Liberia’s abundant biodiversity.
“We are committed to ensuring that our operations are environmentally friendly,” Jeety said, assuring the deputy minister of his dedication to sustainable practices. “We believe the long-term prosperity of our investments and the welfare of the communities in which we operate and serve depend on ethical business practices.”
“Today’s visit has strengthened my belief that we can accomplish great things together. Building a common future for both countries is the goal of India and Liberia’s cooperation, which goes beyond commerce.”
It is worth noting that in September of this year, Jeety, the CEO of Jeety Rubber LLC, Upjit Singh Sachdeva, formally and legally took control of the Salala Rubber Corporation (SRC), adding 900 Liberians to his workforce.
Jeety Rubber LLC won Firestone Liberia and a previous stakeholder of the Socfinaf Group in the bid for SRC’s 4,400-hectare natural rubber plantation, despite the fact that no set price has been set as of yet.
Due to its production of semi-processed rubber used in tire manufacturing, Socfinaf S.A., the business that owns SRC, is the fourth-largest rubber producer and processor in Liberia. A stand-alone rubber processing business (Weala Rubber firm) and a stand-alone rubber plantation (previously Salala Rubber Corporation) merged to establish the firm in July 2007.
The company’s employees, Green Advocates, and other international rights organizations have long accused SRC of creating unfavorable working conditions and seriously harming local people through land grabs, environmental damage, and violations of human rights prior to the sale of the business.
Additionally, two months ago, SRC, one of the largest rubber firms in the nation, closed and lay off all 900 of its employees following days of violent protests, paralyzing the company’s operations.
In line with Liberian legislation, the corporation asserted that the laid-off employees got end-of-service benefits. Additionally, Weala-based Jeety Rubber LLC, like SRC, buys and processes rubber into semi-finished and finished goods, such as TSR 10, for shipping. However, it has recently had trouble acquiring enough latex cup lumps to run its factory at full capacity, but SRC’s arrival has eliminated those difficulties.
