Non-Tyre Rubber Industry Caught In An Unsolved Tangle

The Rs 8,000-crore strong rubber industry (tyre & non-tyre segment) in India has been growing at a clip of 8 to 9 per cent.

It consumed 5.25 lakh metric tonnes of natural rubber and 1.34 lakh metric tonnes of synthetic rubber in 1995-96. Natural rubber output has been increasing at a pace of 6 to 8 per cent a year.

With 88 per cent in 1995-96, natural rubber accounted for the lion's share in total rubber production - up from 85 per cent in 1990-91. Natural rubber consumption is also quite high at 80 per cent of total consumption. The gap is met through imports. Import of rubber