In a notable shift in India’s rubber market, latex prices are now overtaking sheet rubber, driven by a surge in demand from domestic non-tire auto and non-auto sector industries amid tightening supply. While tire manufacturers maintain guarded sheet rubber purchases, the sheet grade continues to command good prices. Meanwhile, in Kerala—India’s key rubber-producing state—farmers are actively engaged in rainguarding in preparation for the monsoon months ahead, to ensure a continued supply despite
Highlights
• Field latex cross INR 200 (US$2.34) mark, sheet still short of it
• Over 40% of smallholders complete rainguarding as rains set in
• Compound rubber import worries farmers, traders