Persistent rains in India's Kerala state have affected natural rubber production, with output falling 5% to 10% year-on-year between September and November, according to a Nov. 28 report in the foreign press. However, the farming community is hopeful that output will resume in the four months starting in December with the help of favorable weather and mild rainfall.

George Valy, president of the Rubber Dealers Federation of India, said downpours from September to November interrupted rubber tree cutting, even for those with rain protection. While August was a good month, output in the following months was affected by the rains.

Valy said tire companies are sourcing available material from the domestic market and prices have not increased. They are relying more on imports and production from the Northeast.

According to Valy, India's block rubber production is on the rise due to increasing demand from tire companies.

He claimed that natural rubber production was 853,000 tons last year and could reach 85-90 million tons this year, depending on weather conditions.

Santosh Kumar, executive director of Harrison Malayalam Ltd (RPSG), said there has been a major change in the rainfall pattern in the rubber growing areas this year, with many areas experiencing a prolonged dry spell in the absence of pre-monsoon showers. This led to delays in rubber cutting and low yields. the absence of rainfall in August led to plants drying out. However, rains resumed in September with heavy downpours in most rubber planting areas. Early rains interrupted rubber cutting from September to November.

According to Kumar, prices have not rebounded despite the drop in production, which could be attributed to macroeconomic conditions and low demand. But he added that climate change and low rubber prices are pushing growers into a deeper crisis than ever before.