As rubber prices have crashed, its growers in the State will meet at Puttur in Dakshina Kannada on September 11 to discuss their issues, according to N. Sharath Bhandary, president, All-Karnataka Rubber Planters’ Association.
He told mediapersons here on Wednesday that domestic prices of natural rubber crashed from Rs. 220 a kg. in September, 2012, to Rs. 110 a kg. now. “Rubber growers are in distress. Tapping activity is low and re-planting is in jeopardy,” he said.
Mr. Bhandary claimed that the price of natural rubber crashed in the international market mainly due to downward trend in China’ economy. It was also due to oversupply. Domestic tyre manufacturers were importing natural rubber in large quantities. Prices of natural rubber for grade RSS I and grade RSS 4 in the Bangkok market now stood at Rs. 90 and Rs. 88 a kg. respectively. The landing of rubber from Bangkok stood at about Rs. 115 a kg. after accounting for import duty, insurance, freight charges and the like.
He said that Karnataka had 84 rubber producers’ societies under regional offices of the Rubber Board at Mangaluru, Puttur, Kundapura and Shivamogga.