Question : PROCUREMENT OF RUBBER

(a) whether the Union Government have asked the State Trading Corporation ( STC ) and State Government of Kerala to procure rubber from the domestic market;

(b) if so, whether any target has been fixed in this regard;

(c) if so, whether STC and State Government have started procurement of rubber;

(d) if so, the quantity of rubber that has been procured from the domestic market till date;

(e) the extent to which this process has provided relief to the rubber planters;

(f) whether the Union Government have provided any financial assistance to State Government and STC for procurement of rubber; and

(g) if so, the details thereof?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY ( SHRI RAJIV PRATAP RUDY )

(a) To stabilise the declining prices of Natural Rubber, the Govt. of India had from 1997 to April 2001 made a market intervention through STC to procure Natural Rubber from the domestic market. During this period a quantity of around 54,000 MT of Natural Rubber was procured. The procurement helped the rubber growers to get a reasonable price for their produce. However, with the fixation and notification of minimum price, which is based on import parity price, for trading in Natural Rubber, procurement of Natural Rubber through STC has been stopped.

(b) to (e): Do not arise.

(f): No Sir.

(g): Does not arise.