India's natural rubber production in April this year increased by more than six per cent to 56,800 tonne, while the consumption in the same period also rose by more than five per cent to 82,500 tonne, according to latest Rubber Board data.
The country's natural rubber production and consumption in the year-ago period stood at 53,500 tonne and 78,250 tonne, respectively, the data said.
The demand for natural rubber on a month-on-month basis rose by 1.22% in April 2011 to 82,500 tonne as compared to 81,500 tonne in March 2011.
However the export of rubber in April 2011 projected a dismal picture.
The outbound shipments of the commodity declined by 53.16% to 1,043 tonne as compared to 2,227 tonne in the corresponding period of the previous year, Rubber Data said.
Similarly, import of natural rubber in the period under review declined by more than 92% to 843 tonne as against 10,876 tonne in the year-ago period, it added.
Natural rubber stocks in April this year rose by almost 28% to 2,50,250 tonne as compared to 1,96,015 tonne in the same period of the previous year.