Rubber Board scales down output estimate by 4%

The Rubber Board has scaled down the country's natural rubber production by 4 per cent in 2007-08 as production during the April-September period fell sharply by 62,000 tonnes.

According to the board's revised estimates, total rubber production will be 819,000 tonnes, against the earlier projection of 874,000 tonnes. Last year, the production was 853,000 tonnes.

Loss in tapping days due to deadly epidemics such as chikungunya and heavy rainfall caused the fall in production during the first half of current financial year.

The loss could have been serious but for an estimated good production during October-January, the main production season world over. The Rubber Board has projected the production during the period at 409,000 tonnes, up 32,375 tonnes over last year.

Leading Kochi-based traders said tapping days would be increased during October-January as growers had taken advance amount from dealers for production during the period.

This would compensate the loss by around 50 per cent. Sharp rise in prices will also ensure increase in production. The average price of benchmark grade RSS-4 has risen to Rs 99 a kg against Rs 80-82 in November 2006.

According to the latest estimates of the board, total production during April - October period dropped by 14 per cent to 400,070 tonnes from 465,180 tonnes during the same period last year. However, consumption during the period increased by 5 per cent to 496,915 tonnes.