Natural rubber production in April-January 2012 stands at 7.84 lakh tonnes, an increase of 4.6 per cent over the year-ago period. Figures released by the Rubber Board on Monday said that production in January went up by 3.7 per cent to 1.02 lakh tonnes from 98,800 tonnes during the same month in 2011.
Consumption of natural rubber went down during January 2012 by 2.4 per cent to 82,000 tonnes from 84,000 tonnes in the previous month. Cumulative consumption increased by 1.3 per cent during April-January 2012. The Rubber Board estimates that total stocks at the end of January 2012 are 2.67 lakh tonnes against 3.34 lakh tonnes at the end of January 2011.