A Memorandum submitted to Addl.RPC Rubber Board Zonal Office Central Block II First Floor Housefed Complex Beltola –Basistha Road Dispur,Guwahati-781006 By Karbi Anglong Rubber Growers Association (KARGA) On The 22nd day of July, 2013 At Guwahati, Assam Honorable Sir, Karbi Anglong Rubber Growers Association was revived and reconstituted formed on 8th July, 2013 at Diphu Club involving several rubber growers of the district of Karbi Anglong. We are enclosing the names and the list of office bearers and the minutes of the meeting. We the representatives members of Karbi Anglong Rubber Growers Association Karbi Anglong district of Assam bring to your kind attention the prospects and problems of rubber growers in our district. Rubber is one of the most important cash crops, with multipurpose uses. Considering high productivity, storage, transportation and marketing facilities, there is a growing interest to plant rubber in Karbi Anglong. We are aware that the rubber production on small-scale farming systems is a secured way for farmers to gain constant income for their livelihood. According to the basic data, it could be observed that the small-scale rubber farmer obtains higher income than the average income. Thus, rubber production is a profitable activity for small-scale farmers since rubber tapping can only be done on average 140 days per year. This means that rubber production secures a basic minimum income to rubber farmers in a short period of time. If the farmer has good management plan income can be significantly increased by incorporating intercropping or animal husbandry and bee keeping into the farming system. We are happy to note that there are thousands of families in Karbi Anglong who are profitably engaged in rubber plantation along with other agricultural activities. Rubber plantation not only brings additional wealth to the plantation owners, but also provides daily labour to a number of people. So the economic, social and environmental benefits of rubber cultivation make it an intrinsically highly sustainable crop. Compared to other crops rubber cultivation requires large quantities of labour in the fields, approximately one worker for 3 to 5 hectares, in this way it provides rural employment to our people. There is vast stretch of unused land suitable for rubber plantation which is already an acknowledged fact by the Rubber Board. In order to develop a viable and pro-poor rubber sector there are a number of factors that need to be addressed. A range of rubber-based, integrated farming, intercropping and agroforestry systems should be considered within the development mix of options. This would cushion impacts of market fluctuations commonly associated with production of rubber and other commodities, ensuring security of food and environmental services (water, soil, biodiversity). A clear priority should be given to developing an adaptive research-extension programme for smallholder rubber development. As expertise in this area is limited in it may be appropriate to draw upon the resources in neighbouring areas. Rubber is different from other commercial crops and needs substantial organisation and institutional support at all levels. This could include national strategies integrating technical issues, extension, credit, transport and marketing. At the local level, smallholder farmer groups need to be organised and/or supported in order to strengthen rubber cultivation, tapping, processing and marketing. Rubber production appears to be promising long-term income generation that would contribute to stable incomes for smallholder farmers and national gross domestic product. Important aspects that should be considered include policies associated with land use planning and industrial support for rubber investment, to ensure equitable and sustainable growth and environmental security. We also feel that the best way to ensure peace, development and above all to rehabilitate the ones who have laid down arms is rubber plantation. In this regard we are happy to note that many of our youth who had laid down arms have taken up rubber cultivation. Production of rubber in Karbi Anglong offers significant export opportunities. Its close proximity to established markets in China, Thailand and Vietnam is a significant advantage for the development of this industry. These institutional arrangements need to be considered by policymakers as an imperative to support the sustainability and economic viability of the sector. Every factor related to rubber from technical advice, labour, seed supply, bud wood, equipment and other inputs, and, most importantly, rubber markets are rarely available. The following are some key constraints related to rubber planting in Karbi Anglong: • Lack of knowledge of rubber variety selection • Lack of access to information sources and information exchange on rubber • Lack of knowledge of suitable rubber variety for specific areas • Lack of funds to expand rubber plantation • Lack of knowledge about latex storage and processing practices • Research on rubber is nill, because rubber is a new issue for and we lack rubber expertise. • As of now we have just one field office at Diphu with just one field officer, this is inadequate • Lack of marketing facilities • Lack of rubber related industries With the current situation existing in the area we would like to state the following: 1. We request you to set up three Rubber Board regional offices at Diphu, Bokajan, and Hamren; these are the three subdivisions of our district. In this regard relocating of earlier Diphu Regional Rubber Board to Diphu at your earliest convenience on topmost priority is a must, the other two regional office can be taken up in the next financial year. 2. We request you to sign an MoU with the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council for the speedy setting up of rubber board offices in our district.(Similar to the recent one with the Government of Arunachal Pradesh) 3. The rubber board subsidy has been delayed for the last two years for a number of farmers, efforts are needed to rectify the situation. 4. We request you to begin a regional nursery in our district so that clones suitable for the place can be made available. 5. We request you to begin Rubber Board Research and Training Centre in our district. 6. We would request you to make available the rubber magazine in Assamese and Karbi to our people. 7. The pattern of rubber subsidy needs to be reviewed; the total subsidy in three installments would be more helpful to the famer. 8. We are aware of the several initiatives of the rubber Board like Manimalayar Rubber, similar undertaking is a must for our district to make the rubber related articles available to our famers. We request you to open such Institutions at Diphu under Diphu Sub. Division, at Baithalangso under Hamren Subdivision and at Silonijan under Bokajan Subdivision to encourage the farmers. We the undersigned request you take up necessary steps in these directions. Mr.Saising Rongpi (President of Karbi Anglong Rubber Growers Association) Ph.9954301409 Mr.Longsing Teron (General Secretary of Karbi Anglong Rubber Growers Association) Ph.9854376187 Copy to.1.Ministry of Commerce, Delhi 2.DONEAR Minister 3. Chairman Rubber Board 4.CM, Guwahati 5.MP,Diphu 6.CEM,Diphu 7.DC,Diphu
Posted on: Thu, 25 Jul 2013 12:24:04 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015