Rubber re-plantation target falls short by 23%

The Rubber Board has fallen short of its 10th five-year (2003-07) plan target of replacing aged rubber trees with new ones by 23 per cent, a Board official said today. The board could only cover 26,649 hectare against the target of 34,850 hectare due to the reluctance of growers to cut aged trees due to high price of rubber, he said.

Rubber prices have averaged over Rs 60 a kg in the last three years. Another factor influencing growers to postpone replacing aged trees with new is that rubber starts yielding only 6-7 years after planting, industry experts said.

"When prices stay high, growers would prefer some income from aged trees than replacing and waiting for new plant to reach yielding stage," a grower said.

In the life cycle of rubber, 4-13 years is peak yielding phase while 14-22 years considered as declining phase in yield. Yield starts declining from 14th year and the tree would be cut down and replanted after 22-25 years, growers said.

According to the Rubber Board, the share of trees in peak yielding age of 4-13 years, out of the total yielding trees in India, would come down to 34 per cent in 2012 from 60 per cent at present. The share of trees in the age of 14-22 years would go up to 55 per cent by this time from the existing 20 per cent.

The board is targeting to bring 50,000 hectare under re-plantation during the 11th five year plan period (2007-12).

Rubber is cultivated in 570,000 hectare and the average yield is 1,790 kg a hectare.