India's rubber production up 6.5% in Apr-Jun

KOTTAYAM (Commodity Online): India’s natural rubber availability concerns may reduce to some extent as the domestic rubber production during April to July 2010 was recorded 6.5% higher over the corresponding period last year, the Rubber Board said today.

Sajen Peter, Chairman, Rubber Board said, “Natural rubber (NR) production in the country was picking up and the production during April-July 2010 was estimated to be higher by 6.5 per cent over the corresponding period in the previous year.”

NR production in 2009-10 was lower by 3.8 per cent over 2008-09 mainly owing to adverse weather conditions, growing stock of old plantations and intense harvesting done in 2008. It is projected that NR production in 2010-11 would be 893,000 tonnes.

On the consumption front, the natural rubber consumption in 2009-10 increased by 6.8 per cent over that of the 2008-09 and the projected consumption this fiscal is expected to be around 978,000 tonnes.

During April-July 2010 also, consumption recorded an increase of 3.3 per cent as compared to the same period last year. Consumption during the first quarter of the current fiscal in the automotive tyre sector grew by 5.4 per cent but the non-tyre sector recorded a marginal decline of 0.3 per cent.

However, despite a surge in production in the first quarter of the fiscal, there is believed to be a deficit of 85,000 tonnes this year. Peter stated that there would, however, be no shortage in the domestic market as the opening stock in 2010-11 was 253,975 tonnes.

Peter informed that world NR production had declined by 4.2 per cent in 2009. However, in the first quarter of 2010 world production recorded a growth of 20.3 per cent over the first quarter of the 2009.

Among the major producing countries, only China recorded a production decline which was due to severe drought experienced in Yunan.

The projections of world production in 2010 and 2011 are 10.16 and 10.73 million tonnes respectively. World consumption had declined by 7.7 per cent in 2009 owing to recession. During the first quarter of 2010, world consumption increased by 23.3 per cent over the same period last year. The consumption in 2010 and 2011 is projected at 10.19 and 10.66 million tonnes respectively.

The Rubber Board Chairman also informed that the annual average price of rubber in the domestic market had been consistently lower than that in the international market from 2003-04 to 2008-09 with an average yearly difference of Rs.4.31 per kg.

But there was a reversal of this trend in 2009-10 when the annual average domestic price was Rs. 3.85 higher than the international price. The main reason for the higher price was relatively low level of inventories with consumers. The share of stock of NR with manufacturers during April-June 2009 was 24 per cent as compared to 42 per cent during the corresponding period in the previous year.

He also stated that the panel of experts, which had been constituted as per direction of the Delhi High Court already conducted the hearings of the petitioners and submitted its report to the Department of Commerce.




Rubber farming: Uplifting rural economy
Posted: 02 Aug 2010 12:07 AM PDT
Natural rubber which was foreign to the Nagas has its origin in forest of Brazil on the side of the river Amazon has found its place in Nagaland and has now become a Naga bride. Blessed with fertile soil and with suitable climatic condition, Naga farmers are keenly taking up rubber farming in various capacities in different part of the district.
Viewing the feasibility and climatic condition of the district, the department of land resources development Longleng introduced Rubber in the district under IWMP initially with 50,000 rubber stamps covering 100 Ha, with an objective to uplift the rural economy of the people inhabited the district. And also help natural regeneration through rubber plantation in the district.
For the first time Longleng farmers took up rubber cultivation,it needed motivation and intensive training.
To impart first hand information and to train the farmers how to raise rubber stump from primary to secondary nursery, the department of land resources development Longleng had earlier conducted a training cum exposure trip for 25 progressive rubber farmers to rubber farm at Pongitong village under Wokha district from June 8 and 9 which was flagged off by DC Longleng C.K Nihekhu Sema.
The training cum exposure trip gave an opportunity to the farmers of Longleng to interact with the rubber growers of Wokha district in the field; they also had a session with DPO LRD Wokha who is also rubber expert in the field.
According to Longleng district project officer, Menuosietuo Tseikha, the trip was not only an eye opener to the farmers of the district but also gave adequate information of the management and more information on rubber tree, transplantation, budding, nursery management etc.
The crop if taken care properly will be harvested after 7 years which will continue till the plant attained 40 years old. It will not only give economic improvement of the villagers but contribute largely to the global climatic change, in the way of retaining ground water table and control soil erosion as well.
The team was also led to rubber plantation where intercropped was done with the upland Jhum paddy and pineapple fields. Intercropping helps the farmers to get additional benefit while doing weeding for other plants rubber plant can also be taken care.
Rubber which has maximum usage in automobile and other domestic industry has greater demand with every passing year.
Of all the 895 species natural rubber in which the latex is produced, Hervea brasiliensis is the most commercial natural rubber which was introduced to Asia in 1876 by Sir Henry Wickham. It spread to India through Sri Lanka and today India contributes 0.8 MT per annum to the international consumption, where Nagaland also contributes about 0.3% rubber latex of Indian production.
Nagaland which ranks 3rd in production amongst the North Eastern states in rubber latex production after Tripura and Assam may become the highest producer if the trend of cultivation goes on as it is today by the farmers of Nagaland.

(nagalandpost.com)





Rubber production picking up
Posted: 02 Aug 2010 12:06 AM PDT
Kottayam, Aug 1:
Rubber Board Chairman Sajen Peter said here Natural Rubber (NR) production in the country was picking up and the output during April-July 2010 was estimated to be higher by 6.5 per cent over the corresponding period in the previous year.
Address the 163rd meeting of the Rubber Board at the Board Headquarters here yesterday, he said NR production in 2009-10 was lower by 3.8 per cent over 2008-09 mainly owing to adverse weather conditions, growing stock of old plantations and intense harvesting done in 2008.
It is projected that NR production in 2010-11 would be 893,000 tonne, he said.
NR consumption in 2009-10 increased by 6.8 per cent over that of the 2008-09 and the projected consumption of NR this fiscal is 978,000 tonnes.
During April-July 2010 also, consumption recorded an increase of 3.3 per cent as compared to the same period last year.
Consumption during the first quarter of the current fiscal in the automotive tyre sector grew by 5.4 per cent but the non-tyre sector recorded a marginal decline of 0.3 per cent. According to projections there would be a deficit of 85,000 tonnes this year.
Mr Peter stated that there would, however, be no shortage in the domestic market as the opening stock in 2010-11 was 253,975 tonnes.
He also informed the meeting that world NR production had declined by 4.2 per cent in 2009. However, in the first quarter of 2010 world production recorded a growth of 20.3 per cent over the first quarter of the 2009. Among the major producing countries only China recorded a production decline which was due to severe drought.
The projections of world production in 2010 and 2011 are 10.16 and 10.73 million tonnes respectively.
World consumption had declined by 7.7 per cent in 2009 owing to recession.
During the first quarter of 2010, world consumption increased by 23.3 per cent over the same period last year.
The consumption in 2010 and 2011 are projected as 10.19 and 10.66 million tonnes respectively.
Mr Sajen peter also informed the meeting the annual average price of rubber in the domestic market had been consistently lower than that in the international market from 2003-04 to 2008-09 with an average yearly difference of Rs.4.31/kg.
But there was a reversal of this trend in 2009-10 when the annual average domestic price was Rs. 3.85 higher than the international price.
The main reason for the higher price was relatively low level of inventories with consumers.
The share of stock of NR with manufacturers during April-June 2009 was 24 per cent as compared to 42 per cent during the corresponding period in the previous year.
He also stated that the panel of experts which had been constituted as per direction of the Delhi High Court already conducted the hearings of the petitioners and submitted its report to the Department of Commerce.

(centralchronicle.com)