socio-economic profile of rubber tappers in the small holding sector

Farmer tap himself 15 7.50
Total 200 100
of sufficient empirical foundation. Even though the agricultural wage rate in India is
considered to be sensitive to demand and supply factors, market forces can not be
considered as major determinants of wage rate in the labour market of rubber tappers.
Generally, tappers are give n wages on the basis of the number of trees tapped. The
average wage rate for tapping 100 trees is estimated at 25.8. During the period 1990-92,
the rising tendency of natural rubber price caused an abnormal rise of wage by 33 percent
bringing the average wage from Rs.18 per 100 trees to Rs. 24/-. During 1995-96 average
wage rate attained Rs.30/- for 100 trees. Since then, the price of natural rubber has been
decreasing.(Table3.3)
In almost all the cases the nature of wage payment is piece rate. The mode of wage
payment in 98 percent of cases is payment by cash. The rest of tappers ie; 2 percent are
receiving wages as half of rubber sheets they produced. Along with wage, perquisites like
meals or snacks are enjoyed by negligible number of tappers ie; below 5 percent.
Even though the working ability varies from tapper to tapper, there cannot be seen
a corresponding discrimination in wage rate. Wage discrimination is avoided because
probable discontentment among tappers by such discrimination may affect the smooth
functioning of tapping and allied works. But the better tapper can have some advantages
such as being given priority in work when there is a decline in demand due to
slaughtering of rubber trees of a portion of the holding. More over, he may be considered
for some agricultural work in holding other than tapping.