Start
May 10, 2024 - 3:30 pm
End
May 10, 2024 - 5:00 pm
Do Farmers Benefit from Joining Producer Collectives? The Case of Rubber Growers in Kerala
By Prof. Vinoj Abraham
Ministry of Commerce Chair
Centre for Development Studies
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
Chair: Dr. Viswanathan P. K. Principal & HoS, School of Business, Amritha Viswa Vidyapeetham
The paper is the second part of a larger study on the performance of Rubber Producer Societies in Kerala. There is an extensive network of RPSs, producer collectives, established with the aid of the Rubber Board. The RPSs were established with the aim of improving NR growth and livelihood of NR growers. The first part of the study showed that not all growers are members of RPSs and not all members are active members. Further there is considerable heterogeneity in the performance of RPSs. Using matched grower samples collected from the RPSs we explore the participation of growers in RPSs. Thereafter we compare the member-growers with non-members to search for difference in performances due to membership. We also look into the question whether grower characteristics influence membership criteria, and if so, whether the performance difference is due to skewed self-selection as members of RPSs rather than the RPS effect on members’ NR growth performance.
