The first consignment of saplings developed by Rubber Research Institute of India (RRII) will reach Mexico within a week. Planters in Guatemala too, are in talks with rubber nurseries in India to buy the high-yielding and disease- resistant rubber saplings.
Although rubber was first brought to India more than 100 years ago from Brazil, recent efforts to cultivate rubber commercially in Latin America did not take off due to the recurrence of diseases like leaf blight.
?It was after studying the pros and cons of various new clones that the delegation of Mexican farmers made its first order,? Augustine Thomas, who runs Kuttiyangal Nursery in Pala, central Kerala, told FE. Apparently, the South American farmers have not tried any rubber sapling other than their own indigenous varieties.
According to the RRII, India?s RRII-105 clone (rubber sapling) is not only disease-resistant, but also gives atleast 32% more latex than conventional varieties. The expert team from Mexico visited rubber plantations in Pala for over 45 days, before deciding on the RRII-105, RRII-414 and RRII-430. In its first consigment, Mexico has imported 5,000 budwoods and 3,000 budwood stumps from Pala. ?More orders from Mexico and Gautemala are in the pipeline,? added Thomas.
Owners of rubber nurseries, who maintain huge inventories of the RRII?s prized clones in anticipation of the Rubber Board?s re-plantation drive, are buoyed by the overseas interest. With rubber prices ruling at record highs, planters are reluctant to cut and replace old trees. So, the local demand for saplings is not as high as earlier estimated.
?It is only the big plantations that are replacing old trees,? said Prince Thomas George, secretary, Association of Planters of Kerala. But 70%-80% of the country’s rubber comes from growers with small or medium holdings.
While the lure of high prices could trip the Rubber Board’s plans to re-plant 33,350 hectare by 2012, the entry of South American clientele offers relief.