Natural rubber prices cross Rs 300 per kg in India
While growers in Kerala welcome the price recovery, rising cultivation costs and labour shortages continue to impact earnings, according to Deccan Chronicle.
Natural rubber prices in India have exceeded the Rs 300 per kg mark for the first time, according to a report by Deccan Chronicle. The Rubber Board released latest prices showing RSS-4 (Grade One) at Rs 300 per kg, RSS-5 at Rs 294, and SNR-20 at Rs 280. Latex with 60 per cent Dry Rubber Content (DRC) was priced at Rs 197.60.
Rubber Board Chairman N Hari stated that the price reached a historic high, meeting a long-standing expectation of farmers. However, growers face challenges including rising cultivation expenses, a shortage of skilled tappers, and declining yields.
Tony P Emmanuel, a rubber farmer from Ernakulam district, said that while the price appears good, the cost of maintaining plantations and the cost of living have changed over 14 years. He noted that the availability of Malayali workers has declined sharply, making it difficult to find people for tapping.
Emmanuel also said that climate change and shifts in rainfall and temperature have caused yields to fall to nearly one-third of what they were 15 years ago. He told PTI that the sector will face a crisis due to labour shortages and declining productivity even if prices reach Rs 500 per kg.
In Kottayam, latex processor Martin Joseph said the price rise is creating difficulties for processing units and manufacturers of non-tyre rubber products. Joseph told PTI that his company has lost approximately Rs 80 lakh over the last four months because the cost of raw materials has risen beyond the selling price of finished goods.
Joseph noted that sheet rubber prices rose by an estimated 60 to 70 per cent compared to last year, reaching about Rs 300 to Rs 302 per kg. He added that manufacturing chemical prices have also increased by 25 to 50 per cent.