Faced with production shortfall, Rubber Board urge growers to raise production

Rubber Board urges growers to increase tapping to boost production amid rising demand and challenges in the industry.

Faced with a sharp fall in domestic production of natural rubber over the past few months, Rubber Board has urged growers to tap their trees on all available days.

According to M. Vasanthagesan, executive director of the Rubber Board, efforts are being made to encourage collaboration between growers and Rubber Producers’ Societies to increase harvesting efforts, particularly in areas that have not been tapped recently.

“The Rubber Board companies engaged in contract tapping can also contribute significantly to increasing natural rubber production. The continuous supply of the material will help the growers take advantage of favourable market prices,” he said at a press meet here on Tuesday.

The Board’s call to action assumes significance given a latest demand by the rubber-based industries for duty-free imports to make up for the shortfall in domestic production.

He also noted that adverse weather conditions have negatively impacted production as heavy rains have reduced the number of tapping days, especially in traditional rubber-producing regions. Pointing to the recent rise in natural rubber prices as a reflection of the high demand, Mr. Vasanthagesan also said that these prices were unlikely to decrease soon.

In 2023-24, the production of natural rubber was 8,57,000 tonnes, while consumption was at 1,416,000 tonnes. Imports reached 4,92,682 tonnes, with exports at 4,199 tonnes, indicating a growing demand for natural rubber in the coming years.

Mr. Vasanthagesan also highlighted the positive growth in the automobile industry, which has boosted demand for natural rubber in tire manufacturing. Typically, major consumers import rubber during the rainy season to address raw material shortages in the domestic market. However, this year, international trade faced challenges due to container shortages, affecting rubber imports, he said.