Kerala Pradesh Karshaka Congress, the farmer organisation of Congress, has warned that unless a decision by the central government to fix the import tax of rubber as 20% is not made immediately, the organisation will be forced to go for agitation.
Speaking to Express, K P Elias, state general secretary of Karshaka Congress, said that the price crash in rubber sector is badly affecting the livelihood of small and marginal rubber farmers in the state.
“Last year witnessed a huge decline in rubber price. There is a decline of more than hundred rupees per kg. On an average Kerala produce, ten lakh tonnes in an year. So even a conservative estimate tells that a loss of Rs 10,000 crore has occurred in this sector. Farmers who solely depend on rubber are facing a severe livelihood crisis. Many of them are drowning in debt,” he said.
Office bearers also pointed that despite the decline of the raw material price, there is no decrease in the price of products based on rubber. “In fact the price of the industrial products based on rubber have registered more profits in the past year,” he added.
Source: newindianexpress.com
