Rubber production to touch 6.54 lakh tonnes in 2016-17

KOCHI: After plunging to the lowest in nearly two decades in 2015-16, the natural rubber production is witnessing an improvement in the current year.

According to Rubber Board the NR production in the first quarter has shown an increase of 2.3 per cent from a year ago as per the initial estimates. Going by the trend the production is anticipated to touch 6.54 lakh tonnes in 2016-17.

Last year the production had sunk to 5.62 lakh tonnes.

The stability in price also gives a positive signal, says the board. The NR prices have been holding steady around Rs 140 per kg in the market.

As part of its efforts to improve production and productivity, the board convened zonal meetings in different locations for interaction among the rubber growers, representatives of rubber producers societies (RPSs) and extension officers and initiated steps to harvest the untapped areas.

As a cost reduction exercise in these hard times, the board tried to popularize low frequency tapping under which the trees are tapped once a week. Around 5000 growers have come forward to adopt weekly tapping. A separate scheme for starting ‘tapper bank’ through RPSs has also been initiated.