India’s natural rubber consumption at a record 13.5 lakh tonnes in FY23

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India’s natural rubber consumption rose to a record high of 13.5 thousand tons, although imports fell by 3.2 percent in the 2022-23 fiscal year. Consumption was supported by NR output rising to a 10-year high.

According to data published by the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCI&S), Kolkata, total imports fell to 5,28,677 tons in 2022-23, as compared to 5,46,369 tons (temporary) in the previous financial year.

Speaking at the 184th meeting of the Rubber Council, M. Vasanthajsan, CEO, said production is provisionally estimated at 8,39,000 tons in 2022-23, compared to 7,75,000 tons in 2021-22.

Production in 2022-23 was second to that of 9,13,7000 tons in 2012-13. He said that the increase in yield, exploitable area and exploited area during the year contributed to the increase in NR production.

On the other hand, consumption was provisionally estimated at 13,50,000 tons, up 9% compared to 12,38,000 tons in 2021-22. Exports reached 3,700 tons in 2022-23, compared to 3,560 tons in 2021-22.

Exploring export opportunities

Rubber Chairman Swar Danania said efforts to explore opportunities in the MSME sector should continue to improve the export of natural rubber products from the country.

“We need to identify the current demand for products and promote their manufacture. Besides, the quality of raw materials such as rubber sheets and rubber latex, which are necessary for manufacturing, must also be kept at par with international classification standards,” he said at the 184th meeting of the Rubber Council..

Rubber producer associations and rubber board companies should focus more on improving the quality of rubber and rubber sheets.

As part of ‘NE-MITHRA’, the Tire Manufacturers Association’s rubber augmentation project, the Rubber Council has developed plantations of 3,859 hectares and 23,370 hectares, respectively, in 2021-22 and 2022-23 in the north-eastern states and West Bengal.

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