KOTTAYAM: In a major initiative toward ensuring additional income for rubber growers, the Rubber Board has taken steps to promote inter-cropping of medicinal plants in rubber plantations with the support of ayurveda companies.
The Board has already started inter-cropping of medicinal plants in rubber plantations in Malappuram district in association with Kottakkal Arya Vaidyasala (KAVS) on an experimental basis. Considering the importance of generating adequate raw material of medicinal plants for ayurveda industry, Kottakkal Arya Vaidyasala has executed an MoU with Rubber Producers Societies (RPS) with the support of Rubber Board for cultivating medicinal plants with a buy-back arrangement. Planting materials are being supplied by KAVS and rubber growers will cultivate the medicinal plants. After harvesting, KAVS will buy the produce as per the agreement.
“We started cultivating medicinal plants as an inter-crop in plantations in nearly 10 acres over the past two years. As per MoU, KAVS would buy back the harvested produce at a rate which has been fixed in advance,” said Dr Jessy M D, director in-charge, Rubber Research Institute of India.