The United Planters’ Association of Southern India has urged the Government to announce the National Rubber Policy soon. In a press release, the association president N. Dharmaraj said that the National Expert Committee on Rubber had been having discussions for the last one-and-a-half years.
Huge imbalances
During this period, there had been huge imbalances in the distribution of value within the rubber value chain. The policy should address issues such as grade-wise production targets, import targets and sustainable price.
Natural rubber production and productivity has been declining steadily in the country since 2011-2012.
Growers are abandoning tapping and the tapping area has come down to 56 per cent of the total area under rubber.
