CHENNAI: Continuous rainfall in Kanniyakumari district has brought rubber tapping to a standstill, leaving thousands of workers without employment and affecting the income of rubber growers. Workers employed in small rubber plantations have urged the government to provide financial relief during prolonged rainy spells.
According to a Daily Thanthi report, rubber cultivation is one of the major agriculture-based industries in the district, supporting thousands of farmers, workers and traders involved in latex extraction and related activities. However, persistent northeast monsoon showers have disrupted tapping across both large and small plantations, affecting overall production.
Though rain guards have been installed on rubber trees in many plantations to facilitate tapping during wet weather, they have proved ineffective during continuous rainfall.
The disruption has also affected rubber processing units, as the shortage of latex has reduced the supply of rubber sheets to factories. The business of felling and selling mature rubber trees has also taken a hit.
While workers employed in organised rubber plantations receive a certain amount as rain-day compensation, those working in small plantations are left without wages when tapping operations are suspended.
With the prolonged rains affecting their daily earnings, workers in small rubber plantations have urged the government to extend financial assistance to help them tide over the period of lost employment.