KOTTAYAM, APRIL 21:
Natural rubber production in the country in 2012-13 is provisionally estimated at 9.12 lakh tonnes, with a slight increase of 0.9 per cent compared with the 4.8 per cent increase in 2011-12, said Ms Sheela Thomas, Chairman, Rubber Board, while recently delivering the presidential address at the 171st meeting of the Rubber Board in Guwahati.
Last fiscal, monthly rubber production was lower in April and May 2012 and January-March 2013, owing to adverse weather conditions.
Consumption in 2012-13 is provisionally estimated at 9.71 lakh tonnes, an increase of 0.8 per cent compared with 1.8 per cent in 2011-12.
TYRE SECTOR FLAT
Natural rubber consumption in tyre sector was flat with a negligible growth of 0.01 per cent, whereas in non-tyre sector, it increased by 2.3 per cent.
Import and export of rubberamounted to 2,16,642 tonnes and 30,353 tonnes respectively in 2012-13. Export of branded ‘Indian natural rubber’ amounted to 17,813 tonnes, 59 per cent of the total during 2012-13.
Production and consumption of rubber in 2013-14 are projected at 9.6 and 10.2 lakh tonnes respectively with a deficit of 60,000 tonnes.
However, there will not be any shortage of NR in the domestic market in 2013-14, as the estimated opening stock of NR in April is 2.66 lakh tonnes and the rubber consuming industry has entitlement to import more than 1 lakh tonnes of NR through duty free channels, she informed.
According to the International Study Group, the world production and consumption of NR in 2012 was 11.38 and 10.92 million tonnes (mt) respectively with a surplus of 4.59 lakh tonnes. World production of NR grew only by 3.2 per cent in 2012 compared with the growth of 5.8 per cent in 2011.
Source: Business Line
