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New Indian Express

100,000 hectares of Kerala's rubber untapped despite rising national demand

KOCHI: Nearly 100,000 hectares of rubber plantations in Kerala remain untapped, primarily due to ageing trees, owners migrating abroad, and a shortage of rubber tappers, according to the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA). Across India, the total untapped rubber cultivation area exceeds 200,000 hectares. This comes as the country imports 40-45% of its annual natural rubber (NR) demand, estimated at 1.4 million tonnes, say officials from the representative body of six major Indian tyre companies, which account for over 90% of the nation's tyre production. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Arun Mammen, Chairman of ATMA, highlighted that nearly 40% of the industry's natural rubber (NR) needs are currently met by imports due to limited domestic supply. Most Indian-produced NR is consumed locally, leaving very little for export. To tackle this shortage, the tyre industry, guided by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, teamed up with the Rubber Board of India to launch Project INROAD.