Conflicts in Natural Rubber Market

Sunil Mani THE price of mixed lot rubber in the Kottayatn rubber market touched .an all-time high of Rs 18.75 per kg on May 13, 1983.* The prolonged drought in Kerala has led to a fall in production of natural rubber (NR) (though the precise fall is yet to 'be officially estimated) and hence to depletion of stocks with growers and dealers. This factor, together with the alleged speculative buying by automotive tyre manufacturers (who are the dominant consumers of NR) for fear of nonavailability of rubber, seems to have pushed up the price.