The domestic production of synthetic rubber (SR) remained steady during 2011-12 as it rose marginally to 110,599 tonnes from 110,340 tonnes in 2010-11, registering a growth of just 0.2 per cent. The increase in production during 2010-11 was 3.4 per cent, compared to the previous financial year. In the production basket of SR, the share of poly-butadiene rubber (BR) was 71 per cent.
India produced 78,745 tonnees of BR, 18,791 tones of Styrene Butadiene (SBR) and 13,063 tonnes of other varieties of SR last fiscal. SR consumption increased to 423,350 tonnes during 2011-12, registering a growth of 2.8 per cent as against 411,830 tonnes consumed in 2010-11, as per the Rubber Board data. The total consumption of natural rubber in 2011-12 was 964,415 tonnes. The automotive tyre sector consumed 307,365 tonnes of SR during 2011-12 as against 298,414 tonnes in 2010-11, recording a growth of 3 per cent. The general rubber goods industry consumed 115,985 tonnes as against 113,416 tones in 2010-11, registering a growth of 2.3 per cent. On the table of consumption, SBR tops with 185,265 tonnes followed by BR with 134,630 tonnes and 103,455 tonnes of other grades of synthetic rubber. The relative share of consumption of NR and SR in India was 69 : 31 during 2011-12. This was 71 : 29 in the previous financial year.
Meanwhile, the import of SR during 2011-12 rose to 327,625 tonnes compared to 302,030 tonnes during the previous financial year. Natural rubber imports during the same 12-month period was 205,433 tonnes. On the global front, the SR production during 2011 was 15 million tonnes as against 14 million tonnes in 2010, recording an increase of 7.3 per cent.
Global SR consumption too rose 6 per cent to 14.93 million tonnes during 2011 compared to 2010. World NR and SR consumption ratio in 2011 was 42 : 58 as against 43 : 57 during 2010.