Branding natural rubber pays off

The efforts of branding of Indian natural rubber by the Rubber Board has paid off, with 3000 tonnes of branded rubber being exported since its inception in this February. This is aroiund 35 per cent of the total rubber exported during February - August period this year. According to the board, the response from the overseas market is encouraging as major rubber producing countries like Malaysia and China, world's largest consumers of NR are interested in importing from India.

The board is also providing financial incentive to the logo users (as reimbursement) to offset the incidental expenses incurred for grading, packing and labeling of the branded rubber.

The board officials said the maximum assistance per exporter per year (financial year basis) will be Rs 200,000. It has also launched a website, www.indiannaturalrubber.com exclusively for the promotion of branded rubber.

Already 12 companies, inlcluding rubber marketing co-operative societies have signed MoU with the Rubber Board for using the logo.

The Rubber Board had registered the brand ‘Indian Natural Rubber’, under Intellectual Property Rights Act as Certification Trade Mark and covered under Copyrights Act.