Kerala - Kochi   

‘Tyre lobby’ blamed for fall in rubber prices

KOCHI: Kerala State Cooperative Rubber Marketing Federation Ltd. (Rubbermark) president T.H. Musthaffa has alleged that a ‘tyre lobby’ is behind the fall in price of natural rubber.

At a press conference here on Wednesday, Mr. Musthaffa said the prices, which had gone up after imports were stopped and futures trade was resumed, tumbled recently because of lobbying.

The ‘tyre lobby’ had misguided the Rubber Board and the government. The cost of production was high in Kerala and hence, a comparison with countries such as Malaysia and Sri Lanka was irrelevant. The tyre manufacturers had not reduced the prices of their products even after rubber prices reached Rs.60, he said.

Nearly 10 lakh farmers and 30 lakh workers were dependent on rubber plantations. A fall in the price of rubber would affect their livelihood. Rubbermark was ready to procure enough rubber to meet the demand of the tyre manufacturers who were clamouring for imports, Mr. Musthaffa said.

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