Last Updated : 17 October 2012 at 19:00 IST
While Kerala is touted as the home country of natural rubber in India, cultivation is fast catching up in other parts of the country as well, especially Maharashtra and Goa.
In Maharashtra, natural rubber plantations exist in the following districts in the descending order of their acreage:
1. Sindhudurga
2. Ratnagiri
3. Thane
4. Raigad
2. Ratnagiri
3. Thane
4. Raigad
Natural rubber plantations are spread across 858 hectares in Maharashtra. Since the land prices are relatively cheap, there is an uptrend visible in activities related to plantation expansion.
Of the 858 hectares, around 110 hectares are under tapping. The yield is to the tune of 1600kg/hectare/year even as the national average stands at 1850 kg/hectare/year.
“There are certain rare plantations where yields stand at 2000/kg/ha/year in Maharashtra.” a Rubber Board official in Goa said. “In Kerala too there is a plantation that yields 4000 kg/hectare/year.” he added. They are thoroughly scientific in their approach, he said.
Plantations in non-traditional areas like Maharashtra and Goa get subsidy to the tune of Rs.30000/hectare for 20 hectares of plantation. In Kerala the subsidy is to the tune of Rs.19500/ two hectares; the plantation should not exceed 12 hectares. This information is as per the 11th plan.
In Goa, natural rubber plantations exist in 1017 hectares of which 40% of the area is under tapping which means about 300-400 hectares yield rubber. In Goa, given the fact that trees are relatively old, 1400 kg/hectare/year in natural rubber is gathered on an average basis.
“With mining gaining appeal and restrictions galore regarding cutting down of trees, no new plantations are springing up.” the official informed.
There is demand for contract tapping but the locals here are interested in only in a daily-wage arrangement in collecting their remuneration. Skilled local tappers are rare here, the official added.
During season, only about 70 days witness tapping here in Goa when compared to 100-120 days elsewhere, the official observed.
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