India’s synthetic rubber production fell by 11 per cent to 8,285 tonnes in April this year, while its consumption declined by 5 per cent to 35,150 tonnes during the period, latest Rubber Board data said.
In April 2011, rubber production stood at 9,262 tonnes, while consumption of the commodity was 36,890 tonnes.
During the month under review, consumption by the auto tyre industry also fell by 8 per cent to 25,834 tonnes from 28,062 tonnes in the year-ago period, the data said.
Import of synthetic rubber declined up by 5 per cent to 26,420 tonnes in April, 2012, from 27,868 tonnes in the same period previous year.
The total stock of synthetic rubber in the country at the end of April, 2012, stood at 49,880 tonnes.
Synthetic rubber is mostly used in the manufacture of tyres, besides in cycle tyres and tubes, footwear, belts and hoses, among other items.
The country’s synthetic rubber consumption rose 3 per cent to 4,23,350 tonnes last fiscal against 4,11,830 tonnes in the 2010-11 fiscal, while production rose marginally to 1,10,599 tonnes from 1,10,340 tonnes in the same period.
During 2011-12, consumption by the auto tyre industry rose by 3 per cent to 3,07,365 tonnes from 2,98,414 tonnes in the year-ago period.
Synthetic rubber import went up by 8 per cent to 3,27,625 tonnes in 2011-12, from 3,02,030 tonnes during 2010-11.