Kerala’s Rubber Farmers In ‘Existential Crisis’ While Political Bigwigs Trade Blows Over Price Hikes

Ahead of the Keralan Assembly elections 2026, rubber farmers in Thiruvalla voice deep distress over falling prices, rising costs, and labour shortages, calling the crisis “existential” as political parties trade promises while livelihoods tied to the state’s “white gold” continue to deteriorate.

The crisis is no longer just financial; it is existential. With production costs skyrocketing and a volatile market leaving farmers with a meagre Rs 200 to Rs 213 per kg, the “white gold” that built Keralam’s middle class is losing its lustre.

Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of a local plantation, farmers painted a picture of a sector in terminal decline. The primary culprit? A crushing labour crisis.

“We are caught in a pincer movement,” one farmer explained. “On one side, there is an acute lack of tappers. On the other hand, the labour cost is so high that after paying the workers, we are left with nothing. The government promised incentives to bridge this gap, but the money is like a ghost; sometimes it appears, and most times it doesn’t.”

The resentment toward the political class is palpable. When asked about Rahul Gandhi’s recent high-decibel promise to hike prices to Rs 250 per kg (eventually aiming for Rs 300), the response was weary scepticism.

“We’ve heard these songs before every election. Once the booths close, the promises evaporate. While the leaders fight over whether Rs 250 is enough, the reality is that Rs 300 per kg is the absolute minimum we need just to survive,” a farmer remarked.

Perhaps the most harrowing detail of the crisis is the flight of the next generation. Driven by the “hopelessness” of the agricultural sector, the youth of Kerala are abandoning their ancestral lands.

“Our children aren’t looking at the trees; they are looking at the airport,” said another distraught farmer. “They are migrating to the Gulf, the UK, and the US in search of dignity and a living wage. We have been abandoned by the state and the Centre alike. We are a generation left behind,” another farmer added.

Anup Antony, the BJP candidate from Thiruvalla, didn’t mince words, labelling Rahul Gandhi’s price promise a “political gimmick.” Pointing to Karnataka as an example of failed Congress guarantees, Antony pitched a vision of industrialisation.

“I want to make Thiruvalla an industrial hub. My plan includes setting up a dedicated rubber manufacturing unit and facilities for paddy farmers,” Antony stated. He further distanced his party from communal politics, asserting, “We are not like Congress. We are a pro-people party following Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas.”

Meanwhile, State Health Minister and LDF candidate from Aranmula, Veena George, mounted a spirited defence of the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government. She insisted that the LDF has consistently supported farmers through various schemes, unlike the UDF.

“People of Keralam don’t take Rahul Gandhi seriously because Congress hasn’t fulfilled promises in states where they rule,” George claimed. She emphasised that her campaign rests on the “development work” achieved in the health and agricultural sectors.

Countering the LDF’s claims, Congress candidate Abin Varkey (Aranmula) alleged the current government has utterly failed to implement its plans. Varkey remained steadfast on the “Gandhi Guarantee.”

“Whatever promises Rahul Gandhi has made will be fulfilled. We did it in Karnataka, and we will do it here,” Varkey asserted, confidently predicting that the LDF would be unseated as the UDF eyes more than 100 seats in the assembly.

As the candidates trade barbs over who is “pro-people” or “pro-farmer,” the soil of Central Travancore remains thirsty for actual relief. For the farmers, the election isn’t about whether the BJP is “pro-Jamat” or if the LDF is “pro-development”–it’s about the price on the receipt at the end of the day

The polling for Keralam Assembly elections will be held in a single phase on April 9, with counting of votes scheduled for May 4.

Keralam has traditionally followed an alternating pattern of governance, switching between the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) every five years since 1982. This trend was broken in 2021 when the LDF, led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, was re-elected for a second consecutive term.

While the LDF and the UDF are frontrunners in the polls, the BJP will attempt to make a mark after its historic win in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation elections. (ANI)