Considering a free fall in the price of Natural Rubber in Karnataka, CAMPCO, a cooperative organisation of the farmers has written a letter urging the state govt to remedy the situation.
The CAMPCO has called upon the state govt to extend the minimum support price to the farmers to enable them to overcome the crisis without delay.
According to the letter, the majority of the Growers in Karnataka have vast Rubber plantations. Nearly 60,000 of them have taken up cultivation on around 55,000 hectares in the State.
The major Districts of Karnataka produce around 40,000 tonnes of natural rubber, and its consumption is around 60,000 tonnes.
In the recent past, the Price of Natural Rubber has drastically declined from Rs.242 in 2011 to Rs 140/- in 2023, the letter says.
The difference between the market support price and the Reference Price approved by the Rubber Board will be credited to the bank account of the farmer directly on the basis of purchase bills furnished by the Rubber Producers Societies and duly certified by the Field officers of the Rubber Board.
The letter which is signed by Campco President he writes “It is requested that the Government of Karnataka support the Rubber Growers from their economic crisis. It is requested that the Go\t. of Kamataka extend Minimum Support price for the Rubber Growers of the State on the lines of the Scheme extended to the Rubber Growers in the neighbouring State of Kerala.”
Established in 1973 the CAMPCO is the Multi State cooperative Society working for the welfare of farmers. The CAMPCO deals in Arecanut, Cocoa, Rubber and Pepper.