The Rubber Development Fund Incorporated (RDFI) and the Rubber Planters’ Association of Liberia are urging rubber buyers to meet statutory payment obligations and use certified weighing instruments, following a November 10 news conference in Congo Town.
In a report published November 11, the Liberia Broadcasting System said RDFI Executive Director William H. Johnson alleged that some rubber buyers had failed to pay rural development fees. The report did not identify any buyer, state the amount allegedly unpaid or provide supporting payment or enforcement records. HeartTalk Network has not independently verified the allegation.
Focus on fees and accurate weighing
Johnson also said RDFI was working with the Liberia Standards Authority (LiSA) to promote the use of certified weighing instruments in rubber transactions. The partnership predates the November 10 news conference: RDFI and LiSA signed a memorandum of understanding in June 2026 to standardize weighing systems, strengthen quality assurance and improve confidence in the rubber trade.
Accurate, verified weighing is important to both farmers selling rubber and buyers purchasing it. A standardized system is intended to reduce disputes over weight, improve transparency and strengthen confidence in commercial transactions.
What the RDFI Act requires
The Rubber Development Fund Incorporated Act provides for development fees on rubber products sold for export and on domestic sales. Section 11 says the payment obligation applies to persons engaged in producing rubber or rubber-based products in Liberia, including producers, processors, manufacturers, exporters and Liberian rubber farmers, under a fee formula fixed by the Fund’s Board, approved by its members and stated in its by-laws.
The Act further requires rubber exporters to pay development fees on rubber and rubber products for export and to collect the applicable fees from the people from whom they purchase rubber. People who sell rubber for purposes other than export are also required to pay fees on the products they sell. The Act does not set a single current fee rate in the statutory text; the applicable formula is determined through the Fund’s governance arrangements.
Export restrictions are a separate requirement
The compliance warning also comes amid the government’s restrictions on exports of unprocessed natural rubber. The Liberia Broadcasting System referred to Executive Order No. 166. RDFI’s own published reproduction of the order also identifies it as No. 166 and dates it June 26, 2026. The Executive Mansion’s notice of June 26 confirms the prohibition and says it took effect on July 1, 2026.
The order prohibits the export of unprocessed natural rubber, including natural latex, coagulum, cup lump, tree lace, bark scrap and ground scrap, while allowing processed products such as latex concentrate, technically specified rubber, ribbed smoked sheets and crepe rubber to remain eligible for export.
The distinction matters: the export restriction does not remove the separate statutory development-fee obligations that apply to rubber transactions. The Executive Mansion notice identifies the Ministries of Agriculture, Commerce and Industry, and Finance and Development Planning, the Liberia Revenue Authority and RDFI among the institutions directed to help enforce the export order.
What remains unconfirmed
RDFI’s allegation that some buyers have not paid development fees remains an attributed claim. The LBS report did not name the buyers or quantify any outstanding fees, and HeartTalk Network has not independently confirmed the alleged non-payment with the buyers or the Liberia Revenue Authority. No company is accused in this report.
RDFI’s published payment guidance says brokers should calculate fees using the applicable posted rate and tonnage, submit payment for confirmation and obtain a receipt. Because fee schedules can change, buyers and producers should consult RDFI for the current rate and collection instructions rather than rely on older figures.
Editorial note: The LBS report described the executive order as having been issued “last year.” The Executive Mansion notice and RDFI’s reproduction both date the order to June 26, 2026. HTN has used the dates confirmed by those records and has not treated the alleged fee non-payment as an independently established finding.
Sources
- Liberia Broadcasting System, November 11, 2026: Rubber Dev Fund, Rubber Planters Association Caution Rubber Buyers.
- Rubber Development Fund Incorporated Act, 2014, Section 11.
- Executive Mansion, June 26, 2026: President Boakai Issues Executive Order Banning Export of Unprocessed Natural Rubber.
- Rubber Development Fund Incorporated: Executive Order No. 166, published July 5, 2026.
- Public Procurement and Concessions Commission, June 17, 2026: LiSA–RDFI memorandum of understanding.
- Rubber Development Fund Incorporated: LiSA–RDFI agreement on standardized weighing systems.
- Rubber Development Fund Incorporated, September 26, 2025: Procedure for Payment of Rubber Development Fee.
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