Natural rubber production up 12% in August at 72,500 tonnes

Increased area under rain guarding and favourable weather conditions lifted India's natural rubber production by nearly 12 per cent in August to 72,500 tonnes compared to the same month last year.

The country had produced 64,750 tonnes of rubber in August, 2009, the Rubber Board said in a statement without giving details on the increased acreage under rain guarding, a system which prevents rain from interfering with the tapping of rubber trees.

During the April-August period of the current fiscal, the production of rubber increased to 2.97 lakh tonnes from 2.74 lakh tonnes in the same period last year.

"Production of natural rubber up to August, 2010, increased by 8.5 per cent compared to the corresponding period of the previous year due to the increased percentage of rain guarding, favourable weather conditions and attractive price," it said.
     
Rubber consumption in August this year, however, dipped slightly to 79,000 tonnes from 79,750 tonnes a year-ago.
     
However, it recorded a 3.4 per cent growth in the first five months of the current fiscal vis-a-vis the same period last fiscal.
     
India consumed 3.9 lakh tonnes of rubber in the April-August period of the current fiscal compared to 3.77 lakh tonnes in the corresponding period last fiscal.
     
"The growth in consumption of natural rubber in the tyre sector increased up to August, 2010, as a result of increase in tyre production and export," the statement said.
     
According to Rubber Board estimates, India is likely to produce 8.93 lakh tonnes of rubber in the current fiscal, while consumption would be around 9.78 lakh tonnes.