KOTTAYAM: The rubber farmers in the state are a worried lot due to the falling rubber prices, especially at the time of school reopening as they have to meet the mounting expenses of their children’s education. The price fell to Rs 126 a kg on Thursday and the farmers are paid only Rs 124 - 123. The prices had touched Rs 169 per kg in January. The Rubber Producing Societies (RPS) have huge stocks of latex in their godowns as they could not be sold due to the price crash.
“A total of 250 barrels of latex are lying in our godowns as we had purchased it for a higher price. The rubber traders are also not buying the latex,” said Mr Babu Joseph, president of the Pallikathode RPS. “Many small farmers have stopped rubber tapping owing to the losses they have suffered,” Mr Binu Thomas, a farmer of Chappath near Pampady, told DC.
The rubber tappers are also suffering as tapping cannot be done during monsoon without rain guard, which costs Rs 70 to Rs 100 per rubber. The regional offices of the Rubber Board from where the farmers get the subsidies and other assistance have been closed adding to their woes. The regional offices of the board at Kottayam, Ernakulam and Kothamangalam have been merged into other offices.
