Tyre and rubber industries have expressed concern over the fall in productivity and slack pace of growth in the country’s rubber production.

An analysis of rubber production data released by the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries for 2013 showed that India now trails Vietnam and China in production. It has now slipped to the fifth position in rubber production.

The Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association and All-India Rubber Industries Association, ( which analysed the ANRPC data, have raised concerns over this at a meeting organised by the Rubber Board.

In 2013, the country’s rubber production decreased 7.6 per cent to 8.49 lakh tonnes. Vietnam registered a growth of over 20 per cent and its production has topped the coveted 10-lakh-tonne mark which India has been aspiring to achieve.

China has also picked up momentum and its production has overtaken that of India, Rajiv Budhraja, Director-General, ATMA, said.

Provisional figures for 2012-13 by the Rubber Board showed that productivity has also declined. The productivity, which was 1,867 kg/ha in 2008-09, has been estimated at 1,813 kg/ha for 2012-13.

According to Niraj Thakkar, President, AIRIA, the country has had a chequered history of rubber production. Going forward, it is important to optimise the potential of rubber in India so as to support the growth of the industry.

Quoting Rubber Board data, the associations said that between 2008-09 and 2012-13 the tapped area under rubber had increased by 41,000 hectares. The productivity of the incremental tapped area has been calculated at just 1,200 kg/ha which points to a worrisome trend, the associations said. 

The tyre and rubber goods industries have asked for an annual assessment of the age profile of trees. Age profile of trees is imperative from the perspective of planting, re-planting and determining productivity, etc. 

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