The Rubber Board has proposed to conduct growers’ conferences in major natural rubber growing areas in traditional, non-traditional and North Eastern regions.
Beginning November 28 and extending till January 10, 2025, the Board scheduled to conduct regional-level conferences in Kulasekharam (Tamil Nadu), Iritty (Kerala), Belthangady (Karnataka), Agartala (Tripura) and Guwahati (Assam).
In continuation of those meetings, there will be conference in Kottayam by the end of January, as a culmination of the regional level grower’s conferences and valedictory celebration of Platinum Jubilee year of the Rubber Act 1947.
According to Board officials, the conferences will provide an opportunity to interact with growers more closely and share new recommendations with the grower community.
Rising demand
The rising demand for natural rubber ensures favourable circumstances for the future prospects of farming in the country. At the same time, low price of the product, international regulations, climate change, diseases, shortage of skilled labourers are also posing some challenges to the sustainability of the rubber plantation industry in the country.
The Board had conducted grower conferences in many critical situations to confront the issues, and the rubber stakeholders widely appreciated the impact of such programmes. In line with that, to deal with the current situation in the rubber sector, the Board has started to revive such conferences in major venues across the country, the officials said.
To address the challenges that make farmers vulnerable, the Rubber Board has geared momentum for new avenues in research and extension, especially in areas like the European Union’s Deforestation regulation, use of drones for spraying, e-trading, climate resilient clones, participatory extension and research programmes etc.
Concerns over price dip
Meanwhile, the National Confederation of Rubber Producers’ Union voiced concern over the sharp decline in NR prices and urged growers to hold off on selling at prices that fail to cover the basic production cost of ₹200 per kg.
Babu Joseph, General Secretary of NCRPS — an umbrella organisation for small-scale rubber farmers in Kerala — told reporters that as part of a campaign to suspend sales, conventions and rallies will be held across Kerala’s rubber-growing regions, with participation from Rubber Producing Societies.
He alleged that the consuming industry is behind suppressing the prices in the domestic market and the government failed to intervene. He also highlighted the rise in compound rubber imports by 47 per cent especially when there was 1.4 per cent increase in domestic production and 1.8 per cent decline in consumption this year.
The price of RSS-4 grade is now hovering at around Rs180, the lowest level since March against a peak of ₹247 on August 9.