Natural rubber consumption in the country rose by 6 per cent to 5.02 lakh tonnes in the first half of the current financial year.
Its production rose marginally by 1 per cent to about 3.96 lakh tonnes during the same period, according to the Rubber Board data.
The country consumed 4.76 lakh tonnes of natural rubber and produced 3.91 lakh tonnes in the 2011—12 fiscal.
Natural rubber import rose by 24 per cent to 1,12,640 tonnes in the April—September period of 2012—13 fiscal from 91,186 tonnes in year—ago period, while exports fell by 59 per cent to 7,466 tonnes from 18,083 tonnes in the same period.
In September 2012, the consumption of natural rubber rose by 9 per cent to 81,500 tonnes from 74,870 tonnes in September last fiscal, whereas the output was up marginally by 2 per cent to 82,000 tonnes from 80,200 tonnes in the same period.
India’s natural rubber imports rose by 16 per cent to 14,779 tonnes last month from 12,763 tonnes in the year—ago period.
However, exports declined by 78 per cent to 1,053 tonnes in September this year from 4,785 tonnes in September 2011.