Landscape of Kerala, widely called God?s own country, is slowly changing, as an overhang of rubber trees is replacing other crops.
Acute labour shortage is affecting crops across farmlands of the southern state, famous for its abundant water supply, greenery and scenic beauty.
Farmers are forced to shift to rubber cultivation, from coconut, banana, other fruits and vegetables. Rubber plantation requires much less labour compared with either coconut, banana or other farm produce, farmers and industry officials said.
Moreover, rubber trees are hardy too, they said.
Without a doubt, a jump is seen in rubber output over the next few years, as trees planted in the past 6-7 years grow to maturity and rubber is tapped.
Consequently, Kerala, which boasts of a high literacy rate, high longevity and high living standards, will also see a decline in coconut, vegetable and other crop production.
In fact, the effect is already imminent, as Kerala has started importing coconut, a trend that was unthinkable a few years ago.
?India?s rubber output is expected to rise to 1.15 million tonne by 2015,? said Mohana Chandran, joint director at Ernakulam-based Rubber Board.
The current yearly rubber output is estimated at 8,40,000 tonne and Kerala accounts for 90% of the country?s rubber output, he said.
?Rise in rubber farming is at the cost of other crops,? said S Sadasivam, whose fertile farmland is now mostly under rubber plantation, replacing coconut and other vegetable crops.