Natural Rubber Cultivation in India

1. Origin

• Natural rubber is a versatile plant-based industrial raw material.

• Latex, the economic product, is harvested by controlled tapping of the bark.

• Native : Hevea brasiliensis, native to the Amazon Basin, introduced to Asia and Africa by the British in the late 19th century.

2. Agro-Climatic Requirements

• Thrives in a variety of climates and soils.

• Requires well-distributed rainfall of ~200 cm annually.

3. Rubber Cultivation in India

• Total area: 8.5 lakh hectares

• Kerala and Kanyakumari (TN): ~5 lakh hectares

• Tripura: ~1 lakh hectares

• Northeast (Tripura, Assam, etc.): >16% of national production

• Kerala's share: Declined from 90% to 78%

• Non-traditional areas (Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra): ~6% share

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India’s Rubber Scenario

• Global Rank:

• 5th largest producer

• 4th largest consumer of natural rubber

• 5th largest consumer of natural + synthetic rubber

• Major Producing States:

  • Kerala: >90% of domestic production

  • Tripura: ~9%

  • Others: Karnataka, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Goa, A&N Islands

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3. Trade Data (2022–23)

• Exports: 3,700 tonnes (to USA, Germany, UAE, UK, Bangladesh)

• Imports: 5,28,677 tonnes (from Indonesia, Thailand, China, South Korea, Japan)

4. Three Zones of Rubber Cultivation

1. Traditional Region: Kerala and Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu)

2. Non-Traditional Region: All other Indian states excluding NE and traditional zone

3. Northeast Region: Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh

   • Potential: 4 lakh hectares

   • Planned cultivation: 2 lakh hectares (due to terrain challenges like landslides)

5. Properties and Uses

• Latex has ~40% rubber content; rest is water and other compounds.

• Vulcanisation: Adding sulphur transforms rubber into an elastic material with:

  • High tensile strength

  • Greater hardness and abrasion resistance

• Major uses:

• 65% in the automobile industry (tyres and tubes)

• Engineering applications: Shock absorption, vibration isolation, road surfacing