As the State government looks to consolidate its support base in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections, the ailing rubber sector remains sanguine about the prospects of a hike in the commodity’s stabilisation price.
To get the ball rolling in this direction, Jose K. Mani, chairman, Kerala Congress (M), a key ally of the Left Democratic Front, has asked the State government for increasing the support price of rubber from ₹170 to ₹200 per kg. The postulation, which hitherto would have been regarded as routine from a pro-farmer party, however, is being noted for its timing as well as the timeline it has set.
While the demand was raised on the day when the LDF government kick-started its mass outreach programme, it also sets a specific timeline for implementing the hike – quite unprecedented for a constituent party in the left coalition.
