Jeety Rubber LLC, one of Liberia's leading rubber processors, has challenged the Government of Liberia to guarantee a steady daily supply of 550 metric tons of wet rubber, a condition the company says is critical to producing the country's first domestically manufactured tire by mid-2028.
The challenge comes as the company, owned by business tycoon Upjit Singh Sachdeva, widely known as Jeety, nears completion of an US$18 million second-phase expansion that will significantly increase its processing capacity.
Speaking at a recognition ceremony on March 25, attended by the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Jeety said Liberians could expect the first "Made-in-Liberia" tire by June or July 2028--provided raw material supplies are secured.
"By 2028, either June or July, Liberians can expect the first tire produced in Liberia," he said. "But without raw materials, I cannot run the factory or complete the expansion needed to make tires."
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Mr. Jeety disclosed that the company has already completed feasibility studies to manufacture a wide range of products, including truck, passenger vehicle, motorcycle, and tricycle tires.
The ongoing plant upgrade, currently 60 percent complete, will add a new processing line capable of handling eight tons of rubber per hour, nearly doubling the company's current capacity of five tons per hour. Once the expansion becomes operational in June or July 2026, Jeety Rubber will require approximately 550 tons of wet rubber daily--more than double its current daily requirement of 200 to 250 tons.
According to Mr. Jeety, failure to secure adequate raw materials could derail the company's tire manufacturing ambitions before production even begins.
"If I don't have enough rubber, I will not invest an additional US$35 to US$40 million," he warned. "There is no sense expanding if the factory cannot operate at full capacity."
Central to his appeal is a call for the government to ban or restrict the export of unprocessed rubber, locally known as cuplumps. Mr. Jeety argued that exporting raw rubber deprives Liberia of value addition, manufacturing jobs, and broader economic growth.
"When you export unprocessed rubber, you are exporting jobs," he said. "You are giving employment to people in Malaysia. If you truly want jobs for Liberian youth, you must stop exporting raw materials."
He also urged the government to strengthen price mechanisms that would enable rubber farmers to earn higher incomes, stressing that improved farm-gate prices would stimulate rural development and increase rubber supply.
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"When farmers receive better prices, they can improve their lives," he said. "They can feed their children and send them to better schools. I may be Indian by passport, but I am Liberian by heart. I want to do something unique--make the first tire in this country."
Despite acknowledging the challenges ahead, Mr. Jeety expressed confidence in achieving the milestone. He was recently honored by the Rubber Planters Association of Liberia (RPAL) and the Rubber Development Fund Incorporated (RDFI) for Jeety Rubber's continued support to the sector.
In presenting the honor, the associations described Jeety Rubber as a reliable partner to Liberia's rubber industry, praising the company for standing by smallholder farmers during a period when other buyers suspended purchases in protest of the government's introduction of a regulated farm-gate price.
