Natural rubber (NR) production rose 5.4 per cent during April-June, while the slowdown in the growth of consumption continued. Consumption grew 3.9 per cent in the first quarter of the current financial year, according to the provisional figures of the Rubber Board.
The total production in the period was 175,700 tonnes, as against 166,750 tonnes in the corresponding period of the last financial year. Consumption increased to 242,000 tonnes as against 232,850 tonnes.
The export of rubber almost doubled during the period at 8,189 tonnes against 4,323 tonnes in April-June 2010-11. A marginal rise was recorded in imports, as 41,929 tonnes were brought in as against 38,233 tonnes. The Board’s data also estimates a total stock of 247,442 tonnes at the end of the first quarter of 2011-12, while this was 180,697 tonnes in June 2010.
The production of NR in June increased 4.1 per cent to 59,200 tonnes compared to 56,850 tonnes during June 2010. Consumption in June increased marginally (0.6 per cent) to 80,500 tonnes compared to 80,000 tonnes during the same month last year, the Board data showed.
Bloomberg adds: NR prices may remain “strong” until next year, as persistent rain in key producing nations limit gains in output, while demand remains robust for the commodity used in tyres, the Thai Rubber Association said. Rubber futures on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange have expanded 44 per cent this year, helped by rising demand from China, the largest user. The Asian nation, the world’s largest automobile market, will consume 3.5 million tonnes of rubber this year.
