Natural rubber output to be higher

As the natural rubber (NR) production is entering the main tapping season, the Rubber Board and traders have made different projections about production. For a change, both are optimistic about higher production during the current season.

The rubber production season is from October to January. In India almost 50 per cent of the total annual production is achieved during this period.

BUMPER HARVEST

As per Rubber Board’s projection, the total production for the season would be around 392,000 tonnes

However, traders project the total output to be 415,000 tonnes in the October–January period.

As per the Board’s projections, October will see a production of 89,000 tonnes, November 100,000 tonnes, December 104,000 tonnes, and January 99,000 tonnes, taking the total for the season to 392,000 tonnes.

The board also estimates 875,000 tonnes production during the current financial year. The production in the main season will be 44.8 per cent of the total annual projected.

However, traders give a different picture about the production as they project a total output of 415,000 tonnes during the October–January period. For October, the estimate is 95,000 tonnes and for the rest three months, the production will be in the range of 100,000–115,000 tonnes.

They said the Board has taken a conservative view on projecting the seasonal output. The traders believe that the production during the current season would cross 410,000 tonnes. Though the price may depreciate during the season because of the increase in the supply, market sources do not foresee a steep fall as the global demand is still high for natural rubber.

According to the leading growers and traders total annual production is likely to touch 900,000 tonnes this year thanks to appreciation in prices throughout the world.