(a) the total quantity of natural rubber surplus in the market;
(b) whether the Government have decided to procure the natural rubber from the market through Rubber Board or other agencies;
(c) if so, the names of agencies who propose to procure the natural rubber;
(d) whether prices of natural rubber are falling continuously; and
(e) if so, the steps taken by the Government in this regard?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY ( SHRI RAJIV PRATAP RUDY )
(a ) : As per Rubber Board`s estimates, a quantity of 41,000 MT of Natural Rubber is surplus in the market as on 1st September, 2001.
(b) No, Sir.
(c) Does not arise.
(d) &(e) : The price of Natural Rubber started declining in 1997 and in order to stabilise the same and ensure reasonable price to the growers for their produce, the Government of India had made a market intervention during 1997-2001 through STC and procured around 53687 MT of Natural Rubber at the prevailing market price. For enhancing the consumption of indigenous rubber Govt. has also banned the import of Natural Rubber against Advance Licences. To enable the rubber growers to get a reasonable price for their produce, Govt. has now fixed and notified on 12.9.2001 the minimum price of the two most commonly used classes of rubber namely Ribbed Smoked Sheet-4 (RSS-4) and Ribbed Smoked Sheet-5 (RSS-5) on an import parity price to curb surge in imports in Quantitative Restrictions free regime. Govt. is also providing financial incentives to the exporters of Natural Rubber .