MADURAI: The high rainfall this year, especially during the ongoing northeast monsoon, affected rubber production in Kanniyakumari district.

The sudden downpours are disrupting tapping rubber trees in part of the district. The situation has led to unemployment of tappers for the last two and half months, said M. Valsakumar, general secretary, Kanniyakumari District Estate Workers Union, on Tuesday adding that Kanniyakumari received above average rainfall recording 80 per cent surplus rainfall.

After a long gap of joblessness, rubber tappers, who rely on micro and small rubber estates, resumed their work two days ago after the rain stopped. Unlike large rubber plantations, tappers in micro and small estates were not provided rainy day allowances and rain guards. With over 20,000 rubber workers in the district, the state government should consider their legitimate concerns and provide rain period relief for the workers, who had no other alternate source of livelihood, Valsakumar told DT NEXT.

C Balachandran Nair, secretary, Kanniyakumari District Rubber Farmers Association, said the rubber production was marginally affected by the rainfall. Adding to the woes, he said the price of rubber has come down like anything because of rising imports. Apart from these, rubber production is booming in the North eastern states including Tripura, Meghalaya and Assam. These states were producing natural rubber at low cost. Like North eastern states, the government in Tamil Nadu should also pay attention to motivate rubber farmers. Now, a kilo of rubber produced in Kanniyakumari, which registers an average annual production of about 18,000 tonnes to 19,000 tonnes, is priced at Rs 130 to Rs 142, he said.