Jeety Rubber LLC, one of Liberia's leading rubber processors, has challenged the Government of Liberia to guarantee a daily supply of 550 tonnes of wet rubber, in order to enable the company to produce the country's first domestically produced tire by mid-2028.
The company, owned by business tycoon Upjit Singh Sachdeva (alias Jeety), issued the challenge as the company nears completion of its ongoing $18 million second-phase expansion, which will significantly boost its processing capacity.
"By 2028, either June or July, Liberians can expect the first made-in-Liberia tire," Mr. Jeety said in remarks at a recognition ceremony attended by the Minister of Agriculture on March 25. "But if I do not have the raw material, I will not be able to run the factory and do the expansion to make tires."
"We have completed feasibility studies to manufacture truck tires, passenger vehicle tires, motorcycle tires, and tricycle tires," he added.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
The plant upgrade, currently 60% complete, will add a new processing line capable of handling eight tons of rubber per hour, nearly doubling the company's existing five-ton-per-hour capacity. Once operational in June or July 2026, the company will require approximately 550 tonnes of wet rubber daily, up from its current daily needs of 200 to 250 tonnes.
According to Mr. Jeety, if the company cannot meet its insatiable demand for raw material, its tire manufacturing ambition could stall before it begins.
"If I do not have the raw material, I will not be able to run the factory and do the expansion to make tires," he said. "I will not be investing 35 to 40 million dollars more if I'm not getting enough rubber."
Central to his appeal is a call for the government to ban or restrict exports of unprocessed rubber, locally known as "cuplumps."
Mr. Jeety argued that raw rubber exports deprive Liberia of manufacturing jobs and economic value, effectively subsidising employment in competitor nations.
"When you export unprocessed rubber, you are exporting jobs. You are giving jobs to people in Malaysia," he said. "If you want to give jobs to the youth, you need to stop the exportation of raw material."
He also called on the government to strengthen price mechanisms that would allow rubber farmers to earn higher incomes, arguing that better farm-gate prices would stimulate rural development and increase the volume of rubber brought to market.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"If farmers get a better price, they develop. They are able to feed their children. They are able to send their children to better schools," he said. "I am an Indian by passport, Liberian by heart. I want to do something unique -- to make the first tire in this country."
Despite acknowledging the considerable obstacles his company faces, Mr. Jeety expressed confidence in the milestone ahead. He was recently honored by the Rubber Planters Association of Liberia (RPAL) and the Rubber Development Fund Incorporated (RDFI) for Jeety Rubber's role in supporting the country's rubber sector.
In bestowing the honor, the associations described Jeety Rubber as a true partner to the Liberian rubber industry, hailing the company for its steadfast support of smallholder farmers at a time when other buyers suspended rubber purchases in protest of a government decision to introduce a regulated farm-gate price.
