India’s State and Rubber Board is recommending farmers produce sheet latex to increase profits

Kerala, India – The incentive scheme is being implemented by the Kerala government in collaboration with the Rubber Board to ensure a minimum price of ₹170 per kg for rubber produced by farmers in Kerala. As per the scheme, the farmers who sell their produce as latex will only get ₹161 after deducting ₹9 as processing charge per kg. They will not be able to take full advantage of the scheme when the price of latex remains lower than that of sheet rubber.

“Natural rubber growers should turn to sheet making to get the maximum advantage of the rubber production Incentive scheme,” said KN Raghavan, Executive Director, Rubber Board.

The peak season for rubber production is round the corner, and the farmers who continue to sell latex may incur losses if they pursue with latex. Hence farmers who have necessary infrastructure to process latex can turn to sheet making, Raghavan added.

He also urged the Presidents of the Rubber Producers’ Societies, having the facility for group processing, to come forward to help the growers who do not have such facilities at their premises.