United Planters Association of Southern India (UPASI) today said the plantation industry felt neglected as there was nothing specific to help tea and rubber sectors undergoing severe crisis thereby putting livelihood of large number of growers especially small and marginal growers at “jeopardy.”

Reacting to the budget 2015—16, Vijayan Rajes, President, UPASI said rubber industry was reeling under “tremendous” pressure as the prices have come down on account of unrestricted imports much more than the demand—supply gap.

There have been several representations from various segments of plantation sector including the State Governments involved and we were expecting enhancement of the import tariff from the existing 20 per cent and there were positive indications from the Central Government to that effect, he claimed.

The paradox was that while such an important sector on which large number of growers and workers were depending on, was bleeding, the other sector was reaping substantial benefits on account of low raw material cost, he said.

The industry had requested for lower import or nil tariff for some of the machineries required by the sector on account of the acute labour shortage which were not indigenously available, he said.

Yet another reason affecting the economic survival of the plantation sector was the additional burden borne by the industry for social security measures.

“We were hoping that if the Government is not in a position to free the industry from the clutches of this unjustified burden which is not there for any other sector, at least some weighted deduction would be given for such expenses,” he said.

However, Rajes welcomed the resolve of the Government to go ahead and implement the GST from April 2016 and also the reduction of corporate tax from 30 per cent to 25 per cent in a phased manner.

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