Natural rubber output grows by 2% in May

Natural rubber production in the country increased by 2 per cent to 54,600 tonnes in May, compared to 53,550 tonnes in the same month last year, the Rubber Board said today. The rise in natural rubber (RSS-4 variety) production was attributed to increased tapping.

"The production of natural rubber for May 2010 increased slightly, compared to May 2009, as early summer showers reduced the summer tapping rest period ...And increase in the monthly average tapped area," a senior Rubber Board official said.

The domestic consumption of natural rubber in May also registered an increase of nearly 11 per cent to 79,000 tonnes, compared to the same month last year, on account of burgeoning demand from the automobile and tyre industry.

"Consumption of natural rubber increased by 10.9 per cent during the month of May 2010 due to increase in demand from the automobile and tyre sector as well as the big non-tyre sector," the official said.

However, import of natural rubber declined by 42 per cent in May this year to 11,487 tonnes as the price of the commodity was higher in the international market. The Rubber Board is estimated to have produced 8.9 lakh tonnes of the commodity in 2010-11, registering a growth of 7.4 per cent over the last year.