Accelerating Domestic Natural Rubber Production

• Arun Mammen, Chairman of the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA), emphasizes the need to increase domestic natural rubber production.

• In FY25, domestic natural rubber production was 8.7 lakh tonnes, while consumption was 14.1 lakh tonnes, resulting in a deficit of over 5 lakh tonnes.

• Accelerating domestic natural rubber production is a national priority due to its strategic importance to the tyre industry.

• The Indian Natural Rubber Operations for Assisted Development project, launched by ATMA member companies, aims to develop two lakh hectares of new rubber plantations across the North East and West Bengal.

• Mammen highlights the inverted duty structure on natural rubber, which impacts cost competitiveness and reduces reliance on imports.