Kerala Raises Natural Rubber Support Price by ₹50 to ₹250 per kg Under RPIS

The Kerala government on Monday officially raised the support price for natural rubber under the Rubber Production Incentive Scheme (RPIS) from ₹200 to ₹250 per kg — a ₹50 increase announced through the Chief Minister's Office. The revision is effective for bills raised from July 3, 2026, and directly fulfils a commitment made by Chief Minister V D Satheesan during the state Budget. The CMO statement confirmed that the hike was formalised on July 20, 2026, bringing closure to a demand that had been building among farming communities across Kerala's rubber-growing regions.

The hike did not emerge in a vacuum. Rubber farmers, producers' organisations, and elected representatives had been pressing the state government for an upward revision, citing a sharp escalation in cultivation expenses that was eroding farm-level profitability. According to the CMO statement, Chief Minister Satheesan himself acknowledged the need to protect rubber growers from rising production costs when he announced the revision in the Budget. The sustained advocacy from grower groups ultimately pushed the government to act, underscoring how organised farmer voices can shape price policy in commodity-sensitive states like Kerala.

At face value, moving the support price from ₹200 to ₹250 per kg represents a 25% increase in the floor price available to RPIS-enrolled rubber growers. For farmers whose realised market prices fall below the support level, the scheme bridges the gap — meaning the effective per-kg relief is now higher by ₹50 compared to the previous benchmark. The July 3, 2026 effective date ensures that farmers do not lose out on the benefit for the early part of the tapping season. Rubber producers' organisations and public representatives who had been demanding the hike are expected to view this as a meaningful, if incremental, step toward financial stability for the sector.