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

smallholdings had increased from 65.06 to 93 percent. Concurrently the relative share of
area under estates had declined from 34.94 to 7 percent. With the changes in area of
production, the per hectare yield of smallholdings and estates has also changed. The
productivity gap between estates and smallholdings has been narrowed down. It was more
than 50 percent in 1960-61. After 30 years, i.e; in 1990-91 the percentage difference
declined to 13.89. Kerala represents 88 percent of small holding rubber cultivation area in
the country.
Rubber cultivation and production is not an easy and simple avocation. It needs a
large and professional labour force during its whole lifetime existence. Tapping of rubber
trees is not only a skilled job but also highly labour intensive. .Tapping is normally
continued for 10-20 years, depending on how fast accessible the bark is consumed. The
rate of bark consumption will depend on the skill of the tapper, clone and age of the tree,
fertility of the soil, climatic conditions and the rate of adoption of improved tapping
practices
Similarly, response to tapping system varies from clone to clone. Rubber Board
has recommended half spiral third daily tapping for reducing the panel disease. Naturally,
this system of tapping tends to reduce the number of tapping days by 30 to 35 days.
Self-tapping is not popular in Kerala. Even Small growers of rubber area below
half a hectare hire labourers for tapping. Though women tappers seemed to be efficient in
tapping, the share of women in the total number of tappers is very low.
Tapping laboureres in rubber estates are highly organized due to the activities of
trade unions. There are specified rules and regulations like Plantation Labour Act