Concerned over the decline in rubber prices, Kerala State Cooperative Rubber Marketing Federation (RubberMark) has called upon the Centre to take immediate steps to curb rubber imports.
Unrestricted imports due to surplus production in rubber producing countries have led to decline in domestic prices and this has put over 15 lakh rubber growers in Kerala in a serious crisis, T.H.Musthaffa, President, RubberMark, said.
Addressing a press meet here on Tuesday, he pointed out that Indian tyre manufacturing companies are dependent on imported rubber to meet their production requirements and tyre prices have not declined vis-a-vis drop in rubber prices. Alleging that tyre companies are making profits out of fall in rubber prices, he demanded that there should be a change in the Centre’s policy towards imports.
The RubberMark President has asked the Kerala Government to send an all-party delegation to New Delhi to meet the Prime Minister, Commerce Minister and the Finance Minster with a demand to restrict rubber imports.
– The Hindu
