The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : "More avenues for rubber industry"

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 18, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

"More avenues for rubber industry"

Special Correspondent

Inaugurates `India Rubber Expo 2007' Union Minister G.K. Vasan inaugurates `India Rubber Expo 2007'

OPPORTUNITIES GALORE: Minister of State G.K. Vasan at the `India Rubber Expo 2007' at Chennai Trade Centre on Wednesday. — Photo: R. Shivaji Rao

CHENNAI: The emergence of India as a busy automobile hub has created new opportunities for the rubber industry, which must rise up to the occasion, Minister of State for Statistics and Programme Implementation G.K. Vasan said on Wednesday.

Inaugurating `India Rubber Expo 2007,' Asia's largest rubber industry event here, he explained the steps taken by the Centre to sustain the strides made by the rubber industry including modernisation of units, optimisation of natural rubber yield, new plantations in suitable non-traditional areas, welfare schemes for poor farmers, scholarship and group insurance schemes for tappers and their families.

He said the Government would consider favourably, the demands of the industry. India had emerged as a key global player in matters concerning rubber.

Mr. Vasan released the industry directory and presented the K.M. Philip Award to Anil Krishnadas Sampat in recognition of his contribution to the growth and development of the industry.

K.T. Thomas, president, All-India Rubber Industries Association (AIRIA), said the industry's growth depended on the availability of quality manpower, raw materials and machinery. Mazhar Vohra, chairman of Rubber Panel-CAPEXIL, said the entire West was shifting its manufacturing facilities to Asia in view of the region's economic prosperity.

K. Ramamurthy of Reliance Petrochemicals said natural and synthetic rubber were complementary to each other and predicted India's per capita rubber consumption would triple soon.

He said the country needed to procure and produce rubber at a rapid speed and wanted a comprehensive knowledge-sharing network among the industry, stakeholders and the university.

Mr. Sampat said the show had nearly 300 participants from all over the world. Neeraj Kanwar of Apollo Tyres said industries must embark on a holistic quality journey to stay on course.

Over 3,000 rubber professionals from India and other countries are participating in the four-day event, the organisers said.

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