The Centre has cleared a budget of Rs 611.40 crore for the Rubber Board, a meeting of its Board of Directors has noted. The Board, which met here, decided to seek for 10% increase in the fund assistance for replanting.
At present, funding support for replantation is only 20% of the total cultivation expenses. The Board evaluated that this needs to be hiked to 30%. Rubber Board Chairman Sajan Peter told the directors that out of the total budgetary allocation, Rs 240.39 crore had been for rubber plantation expansion, research would get Rs 65.05 crore, and processing, quality enhancement and export promotion segments would get Rs 45 crore each. The budget set aside Rs 42.91 crore for human resource development.
Rubber development programmes in North-East parts of the country are to be allocated Rs 173.05 crore. During 2007-2008, rubber production showed a drop of 3.2% and fell to 8,25,345 tonne, the Board meet noted. The main reason for the unprecedented fall in production was attributed to the extended monsoon and the outbreak of contagious diseases in the rubber plantation tracts of Kerala.
However, the projections for 2008-09 put the rubber output at 8,75,000 tonne anticipating 6% growth. Peter said that 2008-09 was expected to register a deficit of 24,000 tonne as consumption was projected to reach 8,99,000 tonne. The consumption is estimated to take 4.4% growth.
During 2007-08, rubber consumption had reflected a growth of 5% touching 8,61,455 tonne. Referring to the global scenario, Peter said rubber production registered a marginal increase of 0.4% during 2007-08.
Three major rubber producers; India, Thailand and Malaysia had clocked a drop in production during 2007-2008. However, India continued to keep the top position in productivity with 1,767 kg per ha.