One message that distressed me was the story of an owner of a rubber plantation. He decided to cut down the rubber trees which were yielding well, which would have continued to do so for another 20 years. But for five years now in a row the price of rubber is half of what it was used to be that he is not able to maintain the plantation with no income over the expenditure.
According to him he is just one of the hundreds of the owners of rubber plantation, who are turning to other farming in order to survive financially.
While in the timber market, forty out of sixty or so trucks carried rubber wood. So it confirmed his story!
The import of rubber from other countries and the concerted efforts of the tyre manufacturers to use artificial rubber have caused the damage, eclipsing the prospects of natural rubber retaining its earlier price level.
The perception is that the government favours the multinational companies and they have a hold on the policy to import!
A farmer suffers and looses his livelihood! I was asked by the narrator of this story,'Does anyone care'!
I came back form the timber market in distress! Not that I have any answer, but I have been moved!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
No comments:
Post a Comment