Rubber cultivation in india: considered a profitable enterprise by providing employment opportunities for round the year to a substantial workforce mainly in rural areas

Rubber trees (Hevea spp.) are among the essential plants cultivated and have contributed to India’s economy growth for many decades. Latex harvested from rubber trees is an irreplaceable raw material and accounts for a wide range of uses in tires, tubes, footwear, rubber gloves, and other rubber-based products. There were many attempts to produce ideal rubber tree for increasing latex yield production through the improvement programmes. However, the risk of inbreeding depression and the planting materials produced from the chosen parents that are closely related in the improvement programmes is fairly high. Inbreeding depression caused discouraging effects such as uneven bark surface, leaf disease infection, easily damaged by wind blows and eventually reducing the production of latex yield overall. Rubber cultivation involves growing the Hevea brasiliensis tree, primarily in tropical regions, for its latex, which is harvested by tapping. This process requires specific conditions like warm temperatures and high rainfall, and is influenced by factors such as soil type and elevation. Key challenges include labour costs and environmental impacts, though modern techniques like agroforestry may mitigate some issues, while marketing inefficiencies are another major obstacle for smallholders. The first rubber plantations in India were set up in 1895 on the hill slopes of Kerala. However, rubber cultivation on a commercial scale was introduced in 1902. Kerala is the largest producer of natural rubber in India. India is the fourth largest producer of rubber in the world. Rubber is harvested mainly in the form of the latex from the rubber tree or others. Rubber is cultivated in 16 states of India. States like Kerala and Tamil Nadu are traditionally rubber-growing regions in India. Nilgiri, Madurai, Kanyakumari, Coimbatore and Salem are the chief rubber producing districts of Tamil Nadu. Indian rubber industry is characterized by the co-existence of a well-established rubber production sector and a fast-growing rubber products manufacturing. Rubber plantation is a real threat for the tropical forest. It is harmful for watersheds and destroys forest ecosystems. It negative effects on hydrological change, severe species, sediment run off etc. It overall affects the habitat and stream hydrology. But the latex has a high commercial value which can support rural people in socioeconomic development. Smallholder farmers’ livelihoods affected due to price fluctuations and food insecurity. The effective management and proper sustainable planning is important for minimizing the evil effects of rubber plantation and involvement of rural communities as an income earning making process.