Plantation sector in Kerala affected by labour shortage

Labour shortage in plantations has put the state of Kerala in a piquant situation. Reduced supply and reluctance of state citizens to work in the harsh and inhospitable terrain of the high-ranges, has made the life of innumerable small holders who cultivate cash crops like pepper, cardamom, coffee, vanilla and arcecanut miserable. From a state that prided on strong trade union movements in the plantation sector, Kerala has become an economy that sustains on migrant labourers from the neighboring states. Adding to the woes of the small holders are the implementation of the centrally sponsored National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme, which further reduces the supply of labourers in the harvest period. It is estimated that nearly 14 lakh families are dependent on the plantation sector for livelihood.

The limited availability of labour or non-availability of labour in some regions is compounded by the fact that small holders dominate the plantation sector in Kerala. The small holders depend on seasonal labourers, especially for sowing and harvesting cash crops. "Coffee is harvested from December to March and so is pepper. The limited supply of labourers has made farmers compete for them. Wages and other benefits increase during the harvest period. Even then we find it difficult to attract laborers," K Moidu, president of Wayanad Coffee Growers Association told FE. The new generation in Kerala does no find the jobs in the plantation sector attractive, where as they are ready to work for lesser wages in shops and other establishments, he added. Wages typically comprise 50-60% of an estate's operational costs. Daily wage for a worker in tea and coffee estates in Kerala has been fixed at Rs 115, while that for rubber estates is Rs 150. Moidu laments that even at the rate of Rs 150 per day, finding good workers is a tough task. "In the Idukki region, the current pepper crop has been left unattended in many estates due to the unavailability of harvesting, given that the crop has been damaged due to the erratic weather," an officer of the state agricultural department told FE.

The increase in the cost of living in Kerala compared to that in the neighboring states puts it at a disadvantage. Coupled with the inability of estate managements and farmers to pay high wages due to the poor productivity and drop in realisation makes working in Kerala unattractive. With growing development activities outside the estates in infrastructure and real estate projects, workers are moving to greener pastures. Implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme has seen lesser workers turning up for the plantation jobs. Equal wages for men and women and sharing of the job burden among workers make the government-sponsored programme more attractive. Moidu points out that the government can streamline the NREGP so as not to compete with the plantation works. "It can be implemented when there is no work available in the estates. It will be of greater help to the workers," he said. Various farmers' organisations and trade associations have also requested the government to implement the job guarantee scheme in the land of the small holders. "The benefits are double. Farmers will also gain in the scenario where their crop fetches lesser money due to global factors and workers are also assured of a living," he added.