Local consumption of natural rubber (NR) in India has increased from 994,415 tonnes in 2015-16 to 1,044,075 tonnes in 2016-17 due to the growing demand for the commodity from the country’s tyre sector.
The country produced 691,000 tonnes (provisional) of natural rubber in 2016-17 against the consumption of 1,044,075 tonnes of NR in both the tyre and non-tyre sectors, according to Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
There have been demands from the tyre manufacturing industry to rectify the duty structure as the basic customs duty on tyre is 10% as compared to natural rubber’s 25% duty or Rs30/kg. whichever is lower. The matter was examined in the department and in view of the prevailing situation of the rubber sector the proposal was not agreed to.
In order to increase production of natural rubber in the country, the government, through the Rubber Board, is implementing the scheme “Sustainable and Inclusive Development of Natural Rubber Sector” wherein support is provided for plantation development and extension, strengthening research, technology upgradation and market development, human resource development, and more.
So far as artificial/synthetic rubber is concerned, the chemical & petrochemical industry is delicensed and decontrolled and the government acts as a facilitator in this sector, the minister said.