Rubber tapping may go downside up
A debate is raging about whether it is better to tap rubber trees in the traditional top-to-bottom style or the newly-mooted downside-up method.
By Joe A Scaria, TNN |
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Natural rubber prices are hovering around a healthy Rs 90 per kg, but an equally interesting issue is catching the industry’s attention: A debate is raging about whether it is better to tap rubber trees in the traditional top-to-bottom style or the newly-mooted downside-up method.
The force of scientific argument against trenchant tradition got a booster recently when the Kerala High Court took notice of the arguments of L. Thankamma, a mycologist with 41 years of research experience who is pushing for a total rethink on the way latex is extracted from rubber trees.
As against the age-old style of tapping rubber trees from top to bottom, Ms Thankamma’s contention is that if tapping is done from bottom upwards on an inclined panel parallel to the angle of inclination of the latex vessels, the results would be a lot more beneficial to rubber growers.
The new style that she proposes goes by the name of inclined upward tapping (IUT). The Rubber Research Institute of India (RRII), however, does not subscribe to the new tapping style.
There is also a view that IUT can lead to more spillage of latex. The matter has come into the limelight after the high court directed that the new method be given consideration. Leaving open “all the contentions of the petitioner,” chief justice H.L. Dattu and justice K.M. Joseph of the high court directed the RRII director to “consider and take a decision” on the representations of the scientist.
Ms Thankamma has been pushing the Rubber board to promote IUT and transfer it to rubber growers, pointing out that growers have lost crores of rupees by way of lower extraction of latex owing to their not using the IUT technique.
The force of scientific argument against trenchant tradition got a booster recently when the Kerala High Court took notice of the arguments of L. Thankamma, a mycologist with 41 years of research experience who is pushing for a total rethink on the way latex is extracted from rubber trees.
As against the age-old style of tapping rubber trees from top to bottom, Ms Thankamma’s contention is that if tapping is done from bottom upwards on an inclined panel parallel to the angle of inclination of the latex vessels, the results would be a lot more beneficial to rubber growers.
The new style that she proposes goes by the name of inclined upward tapping (IUT). The Rubber Research Institute of India (RRII), however, does not subscribe to the new tapping style.
There is also a view that IUT can lead to more spillage of latex. The matter has come into the limelight after the high court directed that the new method be given consideration. Leaving open “all the contentions of the petitioner,” chief justice H.L. Dattu and justice K.M. Joseph of the high court directed the RRII director to “consider and take a decision” on the representations of the scientist.
Ms Thankamma has been pushing the Rubber board to promote IUT and transfer it to rubber growers, pointing out that growers have lost crores of rupees by way of lower extraction of latex owing to their not using the IUT technique.
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