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Kerala has suggested modifications to the draft Rubber (Promotion and Development) Bill, 2022, and Spices (Promotion and Development) Bill, 2022, seeking stronger safeguards for farmers, especially small and marginal growers. Kerala Agriculture Minister P Prasad has conveyed the State’s concerns to Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal in letters on the two draft Bills.
The Rubber Bill’s focus on treating the sector as an industry rather than an agriculture-allied sector will adversely affect small and marginal growers, the Minister said.. In the case of the spices sector, the Minister stressed the need for encouraging close synergy among the Spices Board, agricultural universities, and state agriculture departments. The “disturbing feature” in the Rubber Bill, the Minister noted, is Section 13 which drastically alters the Rubber Board’s composition and denies fair representation of growers and the governments of the major rubber producing states. The bill also removes the provision for the Central Government to consult the Rubber Board on any policy directives.
Safeguarding small growers
Growers are concerned that the Bill does not safeguard their legitimate interests.
The bill should appreciate the role rubber plays in providing livelihood to more than 13 lakh small growers in the country. Kerala has sought one-third representation of farmers on the Rubber Board, and the inclusion of a representative of the State Agriculture department, the Minister said.
Kerala has also sought provisions for minimum support price and for ensuring the quality of imported rubber and regulating its price. The absence of such a provision can result in the import of cheap low-quality rubber.
In the case of the Spices Bill, the State wants the provisions to be limited to the provisions contained in the Spices Board Act, 1986, pointing out that the implementation of the production schemes of all spices are the mandate of state governments. Kerala has sought the inclusion of a provision requiring the Centre to consult the Spices Board on policy directives.
The State also wants the Centre to scrap existing rules which prohibit cardamom producers from selling produce other than through a licensed auctioneer or dealer. No other agricultural commodity in the country has this specific condition for sale, the state notes.
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