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“The apt season to carry out soil and leaf analysis to enable this is from August through October. Soil analysis alone can be done from November to March also. This analysis helps to understand the fertility status of the soil and the quantity of nutrients available to the plants and thereby facilitate the use of required minimum quantity of fertilizers. It avoids excessive use of fertilizers and thereby reduces the cost of manuring in plantations.” the Board said in a release.

The Rubber Board has set up facilities for soil and leaf analysis in various parts of the state.

It has a soil-testing lab at Rubber Research Institute of India, Kottayam and Regional Soil Testing Labs at Taliparamba, Kozhikkode, Thrissur, Muvattupuzha, Kanjirappally, Adoor and Nedumangad.

In addition to this, there are two mobile soil testing units, one each attached to RRII Kottayam and Regional lab Kozhikkode. The mobile units camp at centres convenient for growers, analyses the samples and give recommendations then and there.

The mobile units enable the farmer to get the facility at their doorstep. As these mobile units render their service in a need based manner. Small grower fraternities like RPSs and SHGs can arrange for soil testing camps with the help of these units, in their places.