Karnataka Minister Advocates for Rubber MSP to Support Struggling Farmers
In a significant move to address agricultural distress, Dakshina Kannada district minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has formally written to Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, urging the establishment of a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for rubber. This appeal highlights the critical need to recognize the hardships faced by farmers who cultivate this crop under challenging conditions.
Farmer Distress and Market Instability
Rao emphasized that farmers in Dakshina Kannada are heavily engaged in rubber cultivation, but due to severe market instability, they are on the brink of financial ruin. He stated that these farmers toil in difficult environments, yet their efforts are not adequately compensated, leading to widespread penury. The minister's letter underscores the urgency of providing MSP to stabilize their livelihoods and ensure fair returns for their labor.
Exclusion from MSP List and Policy Failures
Rao pointed out that natural rubber has been excluded from the list of agricultural crops for which the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) recommends MSP. This omission means that, unlike commercial crops such as jute and copra, rubber lacks a guaranteed price floor in India. He further criticized the National Rubber Policy, implemented in March 2019, for failing to yield positive results due to shortcomings in marketing, external trade, cheaper imports, and insufficient research support for growers.
Legal and Administrative Constraints
Explaining the jurisdictional limitations, Rao noted that the Rubber Act of 1947 mandates the Rubber Board of India to operate under the absolute administrative control of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Consequently, only the Union government has the authority to address the MSP issue for rubber, not state governments. This legal framework places the responsibility squarely on central authorities to intervene and provide relief to affected farmers.
Union Government's Response
In a related development, Union commerce minister Piyush Goyal responded to Rao's concerns, clarifying that natural rubber is not included among the 22 mandated agricultural crops eligible for MSP. Goyal stated that the matter was examined in consultation with the Rubber Board, and the government currently fixes MSP for these 22 crops based on CACP recommendations, which consider inputs from state governments and relevant central ministries. This response highlights the existing policy gap that leaves rubber farmers without essential price support.
The ongoing dialogue between state and Union ministers underscores the pressing need for policy reforms to include rubber in the MSP framework, aiming to alleviate the economic struggles of farmers in Karnataka and beyond.
