The details of total production, consumption and import of Natural Rubber (NR) in the country during the last three years are as under:

Year	Production (Tonne)	Consumption (Tonne)	Import (Tonne)
2013-14	774,000	981,520	360,263
2014-15	645,000	1020,910	442,130
2015-16	562,000	994,415	458,374

The increase in import of NR into the country can be primarily attributed to the gap between production and consumption of NR in the country and lower prices of  block rubber in international markets as compared to the sheet rubber in domestic market.

Cost of production of rubber varies from region to region and depends upon a number of factors such as labour wages, value of land, input costs, etc. Rubber Board has undertaken a study to work out the cost of production of Natural Rubber. However, final report has not yet been submitted.  

The details of production of NR in different states are as under :

State-wise production of NR (Tonnes)

State	2013-14	2014-15	2015-16 (provisional)
Kerala	6,48,220	5,07,700	4,38,630
Tripura	39,000	47,000	44,245
Karnataka	35,230	34,560	29,400
Tamil Nadu	25,000	23,785	19,495
Assam	13,600	17,310	14,560
Meghalaya	7,570	8,510	7,360
Nagaland	1,900	2,390	3,020
Manipur	1,065	1,150	1,660
Maharashtra	380	395	925
Goa	595	630	640
Mizoram	310	360	595
Others	1,130	1,210	1,470
Grand Total	7,74,000	6,45,000	5,62,000

This information was given by the Commerce and Industry Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

Natural rubber import rise driven by domestic production shortfall and lower international block rubber prices, study pending. Natural rubber imports rose because domestic production fell short of consumption and international block rubber prices were lower than domestic sheet rubber prices. State-level data show a major producing State with substantial declines and other States contributing smaller volumes. A cost of production study has been undertaken but its final report is still pending, limiting available cost-based policy guidance.