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Hike import tariffs for rubber: Mustafa

Staff Reporter

imports was was 7 lakh tones

KOCHI: The World Trade Organisation must take natural rubber off industrial list and include it in the sensitive list, so that tariffs of up to 300 per cent can be imposed on imported rubber, T.H. Mustafa, president of Rubbermark, said here on Saturday.

Addressing presspersons at the Ernakulam Press Club, he said that items in the industrial list attracted low tariffs when imported.

"The matter has been brought to the notice of UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Commerce Minister Kamal Nath."

Import and price fall

Mr. Mustafa said SAARC nations had reached an agreement to include all agricultural produce, except rubber, in the negative list.

On the Centre's reported move to allow import of rubber in view of the high price of natural rubber in the country, he said the State Government should pressure it to desist from the move.

"Otherwise, the future of around 15 lakh rubber farmers in the State will be in doldrums.

Import of rubber will add to the fall in prices, hitting Kerala farmers the worst. As of now, rubber is the only agricultural commodity which can be cultivated in the State in a feasible way."

Tyre companies' allegation

He rebutted the allegation of tyre companies that farmers were hoarding rubber. "Ninety per cent of rubber farmers are low and medium farmers, who live on the daily income from rubber. They cannot afford to opt for hoarding."

Last year, of the 7 lakh tonnes of rubber manufactured in the country, 4.5 lakh tonnes was used by tyre companies, the industrial sector 1.5 lakh tonnes and 65,000 tonnes exported through Rubbermark.

But for exports, the price would have fallen even further, Mr Mustafa said.

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