The production of natural rubber (NR) in India rose 19% in November this year compared to the same period last year showing an increasing trend, according to the officials of state-run Rubber.
The world’s fifth-biggest producer of the commodity, India produced 655,000 tonnes of NR in the 2014-15 crop year. Production during November 2016 is 63,000 tonne, whereas it was 53,000 tonne in November 2015. India is also the world’s second-biggest consumer of natural rubber.
Increase in production during April-November 2016 as compared to the same period last year is 12%, Board sources said. Total production in the current fiscal up to November is 428,000 tonnes whereas it was 382,000 tonnes in 2015.
If this trend continues, production of NR during the fiscal is expected to reach the anticipated 654,000 tonnes.
Higher imports of NR into the domestic market has led to a sharp decline in prices hurting more than 1.2 million growers involved in growing natural rubber.
There was a decreasing trend in the production of NR for the last few years due to untapped holdings, climate change and shortage of tappers. Growers were steadily abandoning tapping due to lower returns and the tapping area on the total area had touched an ominous level of 56%.
Since 2011-12, NR production and productivity has been steadily coming down while the imports have been steadily mounting and consumption has marginally gone up.