Karnataka Rubber Growers in Crisis: CAMPCO Calls for Government Support
Mangaluru, September 18, 2023: In a fervent plea to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, CAMPCO President Kishore Kumar Kodgi has drawn attention to the critical plight of Rubber Growers in Karnataka, reeling under the impact of a sharp decline in Natural Rubber prices.
He has requested the Chief Minister to extend Minimum Support Price mechanism to Rubber Growers in Karnataka, aligning with the commendable efforts of the Government of Kerala.
CAMPCO, an organization dedicated to the welfare of farmers, registered under the Multi State Cooperative Societies Act in 1973, has been unwavering in its efforts to champion the cause of farmers, managing a diverse portfolio including Arecanut, Cocoa, Rubber, and Pepper.
Kodgi has stated that the rubber growers of Karnataka, constituting a significant agricultural community, are currently confronted with an alarming economic crisis precipitated by the plummeting rubber prices. A substantial number of growers, numbering close to 60,000, oversee extensive rubber plantations sprawling across approximately 55,000 hectares in the state.
Noteworthy districts for Rubber cultivation include Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttar Kannada, Kodagu, Shivamogga, Chikmagaluru, Hassan, and Mysuru. Karnataka contributes roughly 40,000 tonnes of natural rubber to the market, while the demand hovers at around 60,000 tonnes. Shockingly, the price of natural rubber has nosedived from Rs. 242 in 2011 to a meager Rs. 140 in 2023.
In light of this dire scenario, CAMPCO implores the Karnataka Government to extend critical support to the beleaguered Rubber Growers.
The urgent request includes the implementation of a Minimum Support Price modelled on the successful scheme in place for Rubber Growers in neighboring Kerala. Under Kerala’s “Rubber Production Incentive Scheme,” a minimum price of Rs. 170 per kilogram is guaranteed for RSS IV & RSS V varieties. The difference between the market support price and the Daily Reference Price, sanctioned by the Rubber Board, will be directly disbursed into the bank accounts of farmers upon submission of purchase invoices endorsed by Rubber Producers Societies, and duly authenticated by Rubber Board Field Officers. This initiative is anticipated to bolster the market price of rubber.
CAMPCO has earnestly called upon Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to extend the Minimum Support Price mechanism to Rubber Growers in Karnataka, aligning with the commendable efforts of the Government of Kerala. This step is seen as a vital move in safeguarding the interests of the distressed Rubber Growers in the state.
