The first meeting of the joint task force set up to study the problems faced by rubber farmers in Kerala has decided to work on increasing the production incentive for farmers and curbing the import of rubber.
The meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Paul Antony decided to convene a meeting of rubber farmers to understand their problems and come up with recommendations. It called for Central support to prevent farmers from giving up rubber cultivation due to high input costs and slump in prices.
One of the major items that came up for discussion was to consider rubber as an agricultural crop rather than a commercial produce, paving the way for declaration of minimum support price and financial support under the income doubling scheme for farmers.
State’s demand
State representatives on the task force highlighted the need to include rubber in the livelihood security box under trade treaties to protect the interests of the large number of small and marginal farmers in the sector. They called for a total ban on import of cup lump rubber, stringent standards for imported rubber and steps to prevent dumping of cheap rubber products.
The meeting discussed the need to revise the plantation subsidy, extend the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) to the plantation sector and promote the use of rubber as an additive for bitumen.
The Central government representatives who attended the meeting included the Joint Secretary, Commerce Ministry, and the Secretary and Director, Rubber Board. Apart from the Chief Secretary, Agriculture Production Commissioner Tikka Ram Meena was part of the contingent from the State. The Tripura Chief Secretary who is the co-chair of the task force did not turn up. Expressing satisfaction over the meeting, Agriculture Minister V.S. Sunil Kumar said the government would organise a consultation with farmers in April to collect inputs from them. He said the draft recommendations of the task force would be posted on the website of the Commerce Ministry to seek feedback and suggestions from the stakeholders.
The task force was set up following a meeting between Mr. Sunil Kumar and Union Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu last month.
