Growth in Indian rubber

According to statistics of the Indian Rubber Dealers Federation, in the period April-September 2012 the production of natural rubber in India increased by only one percentage point with respect to the same period in 2011, reaching 396 thousand tons. Consumption of natural rubber, however, increased more significantly to exceed 500 thousand tons (+5%). This resulted, of course, in increased imports, approaching 113 thousand tons, as opposed to 91 thousand in 2011. Market dynamics lead us to expect a progressively growing gap between domestic supply and demand.