At least 45 per cent of natural rubber plantations in India are in the low-yielding ‘aged’ category, according to the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers’ Association (ATMA).
Association members are the largest consumers of natural rubber in India accounting for 70 per cent of total consumption.
ATMA analysed the age profile of plantations since the year 2000 for deriving trends. It concluded that the age profile has taken a turn for the worse over the years.
A rubber tree has a gestation period of six to seven years before the tree is ready to be tapped.
Between seven to 10 years, a rubber tree is tender-yielding followed by 10 years of maximum yield after which the yield begins to peter out.
Long-term availability of natural rubber for meeting rising demand is a subject of utmost concern now, says Rajiv Budhraja, Director-General, ATMA.
GESTATION PERIOD
Growers are apparently not willing to replant in view of long gestation period and high prices which even at lower yields have been considered to be remunerative.
Accordingly they continue to tap aged trees. Growers need to be encouraged to re-plant with higher re-plantation subsidies.
Since natural rubber prices have come off from their peak levels currently, they will be more receptive towards re-plantation initiative of Rubber Board.
Any further delay will severely impact long-term interests of both the producing and consuming interests.
“In the next meeting of National Rubber Policy working group, we plan to raise this issue,” Budhraja said.
MAXIMUM YIELD
Percentage of trees in the maximum yielding stage (in the age group of 11 to 20 years) has consistently come down over the last one decade, the ATMA analysis said.
From 45.5 per cent of the overall plantation in the year 2000, the percentage of trees in the maximum yielding stage has more than halved to just 19.4 per cent in 2012.
At the same time, the percentage of aged trees (21-30 years old) has grown from less than 15 per cent in 2000 to more than 33 per cent in 2012.
Aged and over-aged (above 30 years) trees have lower yields both in term s of quantity and quality.
Consistent fall in high-yielding plantations and rise in low-yielding ones puts India at a grave risk of lower production in the coming years, Budhraja said.
RIVAL PLAYERS
This comes at a time when other consuming countries are consolidating their supplies by even developing plantations overseas.
“India is using its existing resources sub-optimally by not resorting to timely re-plantation. This is a worrisome trend.”
While recent instances of drop production or cut in projected estimates were attributed to inclement weather, yields had already come under pressure in view of aging of trees.
Productivity in natural rubber, long celebrated as India’s trophy achievement, has plateaued in the last few years, Budhraja said.
“Production per hectare that stood at 1,903 kg/per hectare in the year 2008 has come down to 1,823 kg/hectare in 2012,” he added, quoting statistics.