Pala Municipal Town is the administrative Head Quarters of Meenachil Taluk, the heartland of Rubber Plantation in India.

This Taluk, with an area of 692.87 Sq. k.m., was once famous for superior quality pepper and ginger, reportedly the best in the World. Pepper from this area, known as Pala Bold in International Market always carried a premium. But, the cultivation of pepper and ginger gradually declined since early 1980's when almost the entire cultivable land in the Taluk was switched over to Rubber.

Meenachil Taluk today has 95,305 ha. under Rubber Plantation, and has an annual production of 53,247 M.T. of natural Rubber. It may be interesting to note that 10% of India's Natural Rubber comes from an area that forms a meagre 0.02% of the Country's total extent.

Out of the total 94,767 holdings, only two belong to the Estate Category. One of the earliest and largest Rubber Plantations in the Country,: Teekoy Rubbers Ltd., is located here. The 540 hectare Estate that was planted by one Mr. Hartley between 1905 and 1910 for the London based Company that changed hands in 1944 to the Kottukappally family acquiring its controlling shares.
Meenachil Taluk has 11 Rubber Processing Factories, all in the Small Scale Sector. The bigger among them process solid Block Rubber and 60% Centrifuged Latex, the others creamed Latex and E.B.C. There are also 20 small units manufacturing assorted rubber goods.

Courtesy:
Prof. K. K. Abraham