The larger share of small holders among rubber growers has helped India achieve tremendous productivity increase in rubber in the past fifty years, Sajen Peter, chairman of the Rubber Board said. “Small holders are more willing to receive improved practices and extension activities given by the state-run Rubber Board and other institutes,” he said. In India, rubber is predominantly a small holders’ crop and over 87% of the is from this sector, says Rubber Board statistics. The average size of holdings is 0.5 hectare per family or just over 1 acre.
Peter explained that in Kerala while paddy and coconut achieved a productivity increase of 109% and 0.5% respectively in the last fifty years, rubber achieved a productivity increase of 465%. According to board statistics, the area under rubber farming in Kerala has increased by 524% in the past 50 years, while production increased by 3513%. Kerala accounts for 89% of the rubber producing area, while accounting for 92% of the rubber produced in the nation.
The productivity of natural rubber in India has been estimated at 1,879 kg per hectare per year for 2006, overtaking Thailand that had a productivity of 1,736 kg per hectare per year in 2005. Thailand was in the top slot until 2005 with a productivity of 1,736 kg per hectare per year. The formation of Rubber Producers Society (RPS) helped the board a lot in extension activities. RPSs are voluntary associations of small growers and there are roughly 2,100 of them functioning in the nation. The society’s members have shown as better response to new clones and practices compared to non-members. A study by IIPM, Bangalore with regard to the impact of RPS reveals that 70% of the members of good RPSs achieved high production.