KOTTAYAM, OCT. 9:
Falling rubber prices have created panic among rubber growers who feel that import of rubber has worsened the situation as the price of RSS 4 has hit a low to Rs 165.50 a kg.
Addressing a rubber growers’ ‘dharna’ before the head office of the Rubber Board at Kottayam, Jose K. Mani, MP, urged the government ban import of rubber for at least a year to tide over the crisis.
According to available figures, tyre companies have imported 135, 000 tonnes of rubber so far. The domestic production has declined to lower levels.
To ensure a remunerative price to the growing community, all the political parties and the government should join hands, the office-bearers of the State Karshaka Congress said. The Finance Ministry has not issued any orders on the recommendation of the Commerce Ministry to enhance the import duty.
The government should declare moratorium on all the loans taken by growers and the interest should be written off, they demanded. The small growers are not getting any subsidy on pesticide or fertilizer. The budget allotment for Rubber Board is less by Rs 250 crore compared with last year. State Karshaka Congress president Lal Varghese, Suresh Koshy and Sunny Kaloor participated in a press meet here.
Source: THe Hindu
