Natural rubber imports to India likely to fall in January-February

ERJ staff report (BC)

Mumbai - Rubber imports into India in January and February are likely to fall further on a sharp drop in local prices in the past three months due to lower December shipments, a senior industry official said to Reuters on 22 January.

However, imports in the financial year ending March 2013 are likely to remain 15 per cent higher than the previous year due to higher imports from April to November, said Niraj Thakkar, president of All India Rubber Industries Association.

India's natural rubber imports in December fell 35.6 per cent on year to 13,611 tonnes, the state-run Rubber Board said on 15 January.