The Indian Rubber Dealers Federation has decried a reported move to abolish the Rubber Board, saying it was instrumental in the growth of natural rubber in the country by extending all necessary assistance to growers.
The current move, especially to discontinue the Rubber Act and shift the operations of the Board to the private sector cannot be accepted, the federation said.
Aiding farmers
The federation’s president, George Valy, and general secretary, Liaqat Alikhan, said the Rubber Board has successfully implemented the price stabilisation scheme for the benefit of growers during the time of price drops on various occasions. Moreover, the adequate intervention of the Board has helped to improve the quality of natural rubber to meet the demand from the tyre industry. The market intervention by the Board also helped farmers to realise 98 per cent of the price of the commodity, the Federation leaders said.
The Board also played a major role in ensuring adequate production of the raw material for tyre industries, consumption, exports, imports, controlling stocks and even facilitating trade with efficiency. Moreover, it has successfully implemented the ₹1,100 crore project to start natural rubber cultivation in North-Eastern States with the support of tyre industries.
The Board is now extending pressure to either stop the import of rubber compound at lower rates or to increase its duty based on the demand from the growing community, the federation said.
The high-level meeting convened by the federation also demanded tyre companies to desist from imports in this high production season and procure more quantities from the domestic market.