ompared to that during the same period last year. Production during May 2017 is 50,000 tonnes whereas it was 46,000 tonnes in May 2016. Production in the first two months of the current fiscal is 98,000 tonnes whereas it was 85,000 tonnes during the same period last year with an increase of 15.3 percent. Anticipated production for the current year is 8 lakh tonnes.
Rubber Board is continuing its activities to make rubber cultivation remunerative by increasing production and productivity and reducing cost of cultivation and production. The Board has been implementing several activities at regional and field levels, with the active cooperation of Rubber Producer’s Societies (RPSs).
The annual mass contact programme of the Rubber Board this year was aimed at total excellence of the plantations. There were about 50,000 participants in 800 meetings conducted at various rubber growing areas as part of the mass contact programme. Practices such as weekly tapping, controlled upward tapping, rainguarding, online fertilizer recommendation, scheme for intercropping to be implemented in collaboration with Kerala state agricultural department and rubber tapper skill development programme under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) were discussed in the meetings.
The second phase for training for 22,000 persons in rubber tapping and processing in Kerala, Tripura, Assam, Tamilnadu and Karnataka, under PMKVY has already begun. In the first phase of the training programme, 10,000 persons were trained. Stipend has been paid to majority of the participants in the first phase. The impact assessment of already conducted programmes shows positive effects in productivity.
Pending rubber plantation subsidy to the tune of Rs 60 lakh has been released and another Rs.40 lakh will be released shortly.
As part of the 'Digital India' campaign, the Board is promoting digital extension services that are novel among similar organizations. Earlier, the Board had set up facilities such as Call Centre, IVRS and 'Online Rubber Clinic' supported by WhatsApp and YouTube for the purpose, in addition to be a web based mobile app for giving fertilizer recommendations.