A STUDY ON THE PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS OF SMALL RUBBER CULTIVATORS IN PATTAMBI TALUK AREA

Rubber plantation sector in India is dominated still by the contribution from Kerala based cultivation and which is about ninety two percent of the total rubber production in the nation. Out of the total contribution from Kerala a large share is from the small cultivators from different areas throughout the state. The most suitable places for rubber plantation are hilly areas where many families are engaged in to this and they are also a part of the overall process of the development of the country. Small rubber cultivators are having a lot of problems relate to their field like lack of awareness, lack of support from the government, lack of capital, lack of trained labour force and lack of stable price and market. In this context a study is quite essential in order to understand the various problems faced by these small cultivators. For this an ideal place, Pattambi Taluk area is selected which is in located in Palakkad district in the middle region of Kerala. Many small farmers are engaged in the rubber plantation and considered as the main income. Even though the study is a micro model this has a wide scope since it focused in one of the important crops which leads the economic and social development of the country.