As against its earlier estimates of a 3.6 per cent increase in the production of natural rubber during 1999-2000 over last year's production, the board has now made a downward revision and has projected a 3.3 per cent increase in the production during 1999-2000. However, on the consumption side, the Rubber Board has projected a 6 per cent growth during 1999-2000 as against the five per cent growth estimated at the beginning of the year.

The export of rubber estimated at 12,000 tonnes, however, remains at the same level. These figures were announced at a recent meeting of the board's committee on statistics and import/export of rubber. Whereas, earlier the board had indicated that production of natural rubber during 1999-2000 will be 6,27,000 tonnes, however, with the availability of actual figures of production and consumption during the first-half of 1999-2000, the board has made a downward revision in production at 6,25,000 tonnes.

As per the available figures, production during the first-half of 1999-2000 was 2,69,350 tonnes, registering an increase of a mere 1.9 per cent. This was due to the fact that early south-west monsoon in all the major rubber growing areas in Kerala badly hit the production during May and June this year.

At the same time, production during September 1999 has improved substantially compensating the earlier production loss in May and June this year. However, as per the board estimates and the reports received so far indicates some loss in production during October 1999 due to heavy rains. It is as against this that the board has made downward revisions in the production figures of natural rubber.

As against the decline in production figures, the total consumption of natural rubber during the first-half of the current financial year shows a 7.7 per cent growth as against 0.5 per cent negative growth during April-September 1998.

It is estimated that the demand for NR in the auto-tyre sector is likely to register an 8 per cent growth in the second-half of the current fiscal, as against the 13.3 per cent growth in the first-half. As against 2.7 per cent growth attained in the first-half of the current financial year, a 3 per cent growth is anticipated in the demand for NR in the general rubber goods sector.