KOZHIKODE Feb 13: With rubber minting money, it seems, Malabar wants more of its agri-body oozing with latex. Rubber saplings are taking roots across Malabar districts in an unprecedented manner, after the natural rubber prices hit the north-bound track.
North Kerala's rubber story grows mainly on converted cashew, areca and pepper plantations. Even in the coconut-belt of Kuttiadi, only rubber crops up in the minds of farmers as a long-term produce.
Though the Rubber Board does not encourage conversion of other crops into rubber, the lure of latex money is irresistible for many. In Kannur and Kasargod, cashew is the casualty of the Malabar juggernaut of rubber.
Wayanad too have shown the elasticity to go for rubber, though yield and plant growth in the plateau are not on par with rubber growing regions elsewhere in Kerala.
In 2005, six Malabar districts brought 5,100 hectors of land under rubber cultivation, while the entire state accounted for only 7,700 hectors of new planting during the same year. Among the northern districts, Kasargod added around 1,500 hectors, followed by Malappuram with 1,400 hectors and Kannur 1,200 hectors in 2005, says Rubber Board statistics.
According to Rubber Board joint director (Planning and Statistics) Mohana Chandran, replanting has slowed down especially in Central Kerala, due to the spurt in the prices of natural rubber. ‘‘Growers want to tap even the last drop of latex before it being chopped down for next generation. This delay in replanting may affect production of natural rubber in the long term.''
The Kozhikode regional office of Rubber Board, which has Kozhikode district and Sulthan Bathery taluk under its jurisdiction, had received only 788 applications for subsidy – both replanting and new planting – in 2004. Whereas, in 2006, the number of applications was 1,319.
‘‘Earlier, mainly Christian settlers were engaged in rubber cultivation in Malabar. But, with the prices touching dizzy highs, locals too are plunging for rubber to try their luck in the boom time,'' said a rubber board official in Kozhikode.
The data on planting in areas under Manjeri regional office best explains that trend. Plant development (subsidy) applications for new planting from Manjeri was 1515 in 2005, whereas the same for replanting was 191 only. Both categories accounted for 1,094 hectors.
As on November 30, 2006, Manjeri office has received 831 applications for new planting in an area of around 515 hectors. More applications will come as the last date to apply for assistance in 2006 has been extended to March, 31, 2007.
The Kozhikode zonal office, comprising five Malabar districts, Karnataka and Goa, had distributed Rs 5.20 crore as subsidy against a target of Rs 3.63 crore during the last financial year. The target for this fiscal is Rs 4.39 crore, sources said.
North Kerala's rubber story grows mainly on converted cashew, areca and pepper plantations. Even in the coconut-belt of Kuttiadi, only rubber crops up in the minds of farmers as a long-term produce.
Though the Rubber Board does not encourage conversion of other crops into rubber, the lure of latex money is irresistible for many. In Kannur and Kasargod, cashew is the casualty of the Malabar juggernaut of rubber.
Wayanad too have shown the elasticity to go for rubber, though yield and plant growth in the plateau are not on par with rubber growing regions elsewhere in Kerala.
In 2005, six Malabar districts brought 5,100 hectors of land under rubber cultivation, while the entire state accounted for only 7,700 hectors of new planting during the same year. Among the northern districts, Kasargod added around 1,500 hectors, followed by Malappuram with 1,400 hectors and Kannur 1,200 hectors in 2005, says Rubber Board statistics.
According to Rubber Board joint director (Planning and Statistics) Mohana Chandran, replanting has slowed down especially in Central Kerala, due to the spurt in the prices of natural rubber. ‘‘Growers want to tap even the last drop of latex before it being chopped down for next generation. This delay in replanting may affect production of natural rubber in the long term.''
The Kozhikode regional office of Rubber Board, which has Kozhikode district and Sulthan Bathery taluk under its jurisdiction, had received only 788 applications for subsidy – both replanting and new planting – in 2004. Whereas, in 2006, the number of applications was 1,319.
‘‘Earlier, mainly Christian settlers were engaged in rubber cultivation in Malabar. But, with the prices touching dizzy highs, locals too are plunging for rubber to try their luck in the boom time,'' said a rubber board official in Kozhikode.
The data on planting in areas under Manjeri regional office best explains that trend. Plant development (subsidy) applications for new planting from Manjeri was 1515 in 2005, whereas the same for replanting was 191 only. Both categories accounted for 1,094 hectors.
As on November 30, 2006, Manjeri office has received 831 applications for new planting in an area of around 515 hectors. More applications will come as the last date to apply for assistance in 2006 has been extended to March, 31, 2007.
The Kozhikode zonal office, comprising five Malabar districts, Karnataka and Goa, had distributed Rs 5.20 crore as subsidy against a target of Rs 3.63 crore during the last financial year. The target for this fiscal is Rs 4.39 crore, sources said.
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