THE All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), in a statement issued on March 4, has congratulated the fighting rubber farmers for their resolute determination in the face of exploitation by the tyre cartel. The cartelisation in the Indian tyre sector is an entrenched anti-competitive practice that denies a fair price to the natural rubber farmers while looting consumers. On April 24, 2024 the AIKS and its affiliate, the Kerala Karshaka Sangham – that represents the largest rubber producing state – along with four rubber farmers had filed an intervention application in the pending civil appeals in the Supreme Court where the issue of cartelisation by leading tyre manufacturing monopolies (MRF, Apollo, CEAT, Birla Tyres and JK Tyres) is pending adjudication. 

The AIKS and other petitioners in the intervention application argued that as the primary producers of natural rubber – the major component of tyres – the farmers are severely affected by the illegal operations of the tyre cartel. AIKS requested the Supreme Court to consider AIKS and other petitioners in the intervention application as parties in the ongoing litigation between Competition Commission of India (CCI) and tyre manufacturing companies who are running the cartel. 

After hearings over the course of nearly one year, the Supreme Court passed an important order last week. By this order, the Supreme Court allowed AIKS’ application to intervene and has been directed to be listed before the regular court for hearing along with the appeals. This is a significant development in view of the exceptional circumstances in which intervention by a farmers’ organisation has been entertained in an appeal in the Supreme Court.

As part of the political struggle against the mighty cartel, the Kerala Karshaka Sangham had united eleven other farmer organisations and held a joint march to the offices of MRF and Apollo Tyres on December 30, 2023 with AIKS national office bearers participating. Anti-cartel campaigns were organised in all rubber-growing regions of Kerala. A Parliament march was also held with participation of rubber farmers from all the rubber growing states of India. AIKS reiterates that the legal and political fight against the tyre cartel that is harming the interests of farmers, workers, small traders and consumers will be carried forward seriously.