Indian NR output to exceed the target this fiscal

KOCHI: Indian natural rubber (NR) production in the current fiscal is expected to surpass the targetted 6.54 lakh tonnes.

Rubber Board data showed that output for 11 months to February 2017 has already reached 622,000 tonnes. This is 17.58 % more than a year earlier when it was 529,000 tonnes.

Intermittent showers received in most of the rubber growing areas and relative improvement in price of rubber may result in fairly good production in the current month too, the board said. Production during the month of February 2017 showed an increase of 54 % at 57,000 tonnes as compared to that during the same month last year.

There was a decreasing trend in the production of NR for the last few years owing to untapped holdings, climate change and shortage of tappers. The board’s measures at field level, including mass contact programmes helped improve production and productivity.

Ten thousand tappers were trained under the skill development programmes as part of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana.