Move to evening shift likely for Keralam’s rubber tappers
The Rubber Board in Kerala is considering shifting rubber tapping hours from early morning to the evening to improve latex yield and worker safety. This change aims to allow workers to pursue secondary employment during the day and reduce risks associated with wildlife encounters.
Why it matters
This shift could modernize a traditional agricultural sector, potentially addressing labor shortages and improving the economic well-being of plantation workers.
For generations, the day for rubber tappers has begun long before the rest of the world stirs. Armed with tapping knives and buckets, they head into plantations in the pre-dawn darkness, finishing their rounds before the day gets into full swing.
That familiar rhythm could soon change, with the Rubber Board exploring a shift from the traditional early-morning routine to evening tapping. A recent study by the Board’s research wing has found that tapping between 5 p.m. and 8.30 p.m could be more effective. The findings were presented at a meeting of rubber tappers from across the State convened by the Board here on Tuesday.
According to the Board, studies indicate that evening tapping could increase the quantity of latex obtained from rubber trees compared with conventional daytime tapping. More importantly, the shift could offer tappers something they have long struggled to find - time.
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