The Hindu Business Line : Natural rubber average yield may touch record high

THE country's average yield of natural rubber may rise further this year from last year's record levels to touch around 1,730 kg a hectare, a top official of the Rubber Board has said.

Last year, India's average yield of natural rubber in a hectare was 1,705 kg, which was the highest in the world. Thailand came second with 1,418 kg a hectare, while Vietnam followed with 1,412 kg.

According to Dr A.K. Krishna Kumar, Rubber Production Commissioner of the Rubber Board, the yield this year is expected to be around 1,730 kg.

The country's natural rubber production is expected to grow by four per cent to 7.80 lakh tonnes in 2005-06 over the previous fiscal.

One of the reasons for the spurt in productivity is the prevailing high price for natural rubber, which induces farmers to provide better fertilisation and care to trees.

However, in spite of the higher yield, the mismatch between the production and consumption of natural rubber will continue in the current year, since consumption is projected at 7.92 lakh tonnes on the back of healthy growth of the tyre industry.

Dr Kumar pointed out that barring a few years, consumption growth has always outpaced that of production. "The high growth of 9.62 per cent we saw in 2003-04 is not sustainable," he said, adding that this disparity would continue in the coming years too.

This trend would prevent a drastic fall in natural rubber prices, even if tyre companies resort to large-scale imports, an industry expert said. This year, tyre makers plan to import around 70,000 tonnes.

Dr Kumar said this year, 3,000 hectares would be added to the 5.77-lakh hectares of rubber plantations. Of this, 2,000 hectares will come up in the North-East region, while Kerala and other areas such as Karnataka will account for the balance.

At least 5,000 hectares of plantation will also undergo re-plantation this year to replace unyielding or less productive trees with new plantlets. It is estimated that 40 per cent of the plantations are low-yielding areas.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
NCDEX makes over 1.10 lakh t deliveries in Q1

Gold rush

Mango processing unit inaugurated at Nilakottai

Rubber plunges below Rs 60-mark

Natural rubber average yield may touch record high

`Rapid expansion of UP sugar mills not a threat'

Free water for farming may not last: Montek

Nabard sanction to TN projects

Imports taking toll on arecanut trade: Campco

OECD countries continue to offer high farm subsidies

Workshop on commodity trading

IEA sees big prospects for biofuels