ENA State 2022-12-27 08:10:53 <p><span style="font-size:14px"><strong>Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 27 (KNN)</strong> The Kerala government in a letter to the commerce minister Piyush Goyal has requested support for raising the rubber production incentive for farmers.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">In a letter dated December 24, the state agricultural minister P. Prasad pointed out that the farmers are demanding a raise in incentive from Rs 170 to Rs 250 per kg, but the State is not in a position to shoulder the burden.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px"><strong><a href="https://bit.ly/3B9mZSj"><img alt="FOLLOW US on GOOGLE NEWS" src="https://knnindia.co.in//uploads/gallery/GoogleNews.jpg" style="border-style:solid; border-width:1px; height:95px; margin:1px; width:299px" /></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">The Kerala government has been implementing the Rubber Production Incentive Scheme from 2015-16, wherein small and medium farmers are guaranteed a minimum of Rs 170 per kg for RSS-4 grade natural rubber. With production costs rising, farmers have now been demanding a raise to Rs 250 per kg.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">The price of natural rubber, after peaking at Rs 223 per kg for RSS-4 grade during January 2011, has slipped to Rs 136 per kg, he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">As per reports, the agricultural minister has also urged the commerce minister to frame a Natural Rubber Policy to protect the interests of local farmers in addition to exploring the possibility of imposing anti-dumping duty on natural rubber imports from ASEAN countries.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">Natural rubber should be included in the proposed Livelihood security box and natural rubber should be re-categorised as an agricultural commodity in the international trade agreements, he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">Further, he also urged the Centre to provide Rs 50,000 as the per-hectare assistance for the replanting of rubber.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">Kerala accounts for over 80 per cent of the total production in the country. <em><strong>(KNN Bureau)</strong></em></span></p> 31707 https://knnindia.co.in/news/newsdetails/state/kerala-seeks-govt-support-to-raise-rubber-production-incentive-from-rs-170-to-rs-250-per-kg 2022-12-27 08:10:53 knnindia.co.in