In a bid to address the concerns of rubber growers, the State government has decided to implement a price stabilisation fund to provide a support price of Rs. 150 a kg.
The decision was taken after Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Finance Minister K.M. Mani met the representatives of the Rubber Marketing Federation, rubber marketing societies, Marketfed, rubber producers’ societies and rubber traders here on Wednesday. Jose K. Mani, MP, also participated in the meeting.
The scheme, for which Rs. 300 crore was earmarked in the State budget, will be implemented jointly by the State government and the Rubber Board. By way of the scheme, the difference between the support price and the market price approved by the Rubber Board would be credited to the bank account of the farmer as subsidy. As a result, rubber farmers are assured of minimum price of Rs. 150 a kg. Farmers will have to register under the scheme, which is expected to revive the sector and benefit nearly 10 lakh farmers. Barring rubber scrap, all other variantswill come under the subsidy scheme.
– The Hindu
