New Delhi, Jan 1 (PTI) Natural rubber production rose by 12 per cent to 4.28 lakh tonnes during April-November period of this fiscal, according to Rubber Board data.
Production stood at 3.82 lakh tonnes in the corresponding period of the previous year.
Consumption of natural rubber also grew by 6.2 per cent to 6,92,430 tonnes during the first eight months of the 2016-17, against 6,51,790 tonnes in the year-ago period.
Imports increased by 8 per cent to 3,38,121 tonnes during April-November period of this fiscal from 3,13,389 tonnes in the corresponding period of the previous year, while exports rose to 1,287 tonnes from 434 tonnes during the period under review, the data showed.
Natural rubber production rose by 19 per cent in November to 63,000 tonnes from 53,000 tonnes in the same month of 2015.
Consumption grew to 88,000 tonnes in November 2016 from 77,880 tonnes in the year-ago period.
Imports increased by 22 per cent during November at 43,123 tonnes from 35,226 tonnes in the same month of 2015, while exports rose to 637 tonnes from 88 tonnes during the period under review.
Natural rubber stocks stood at 2.7 lakh tonnes at the end of November.
During the 2015-16 fiscal, production of natural rubber fell 13 per cent to 5,62,000 tonnes, from 6,45,000 tonnes in the previous year.
During 2016-17, the countrys natural rubber production is expected to rise 16 per cent to 6,54,000 tonnes.