Rubber farmers stage protest at Jantar Mantar, demand hike in MSP

New Delhi: Rubber farmers from different states staged a protest at Jantar Mantar here on Thursday, demanding a rise in the minimum support price for their produce.

The agitation organised by the All India Kisan Sabha was attended by rubber farmers from a number of states, including Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Tripura.

"The Centre had promised to revise the price of rubber and ensure that it was at least 50 per cent higher than production cost.

"Going by this, the minimum support price for rubber should be Rs 360 per kilogram. But we are demanding Rs 300 per kilogram, taking into consideration the production cost," Vijoo Krishnan, the general secretary of Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha told PTI.

He also complained that rubber was being imported from south-east Asian countries like Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam at very cheap rates and it was hurting local farmers and demanded that it should be banned.

Krishnan claimed that farmers in Kerala have suffered significant losses to the tune of around Rs 10,000 crore over the past decade due to unfavourable rubber prices.

Anil, a rubber farmer from Kerala, said, "I am in a dire situation because I grow rubber only and low prices mean it is no longer earning me a livelihood and is resulting in losses."

The All India Kisan Sabha is planning to expand its campaign ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections and join forces with other farmer organisations and trade unions, Krishnan said.