Kottayam -- Commodity Online has reported that "Consumption of synthetic rubber in India rose 6.8 per cent on higher demand from auto tyre makers; but production of the commodity fell about 2.5 per cent in April-August. According to a data from the Rubber Board, synthetic rubber production in the first five months of 2007-08 was 41,318 tonnes compared with 42,369 tonnes a year ago, latest data from the board showed. Total consumption rose to 1,18,195 tonnes from 1,10,650 tonnes in the period, when demand from the tyre sector grew 9.1 per cent to 78,013 tonnes. Tyre makers account for more than 60 per cent of the domestic synthetic rubber consumption. Consequently, import of synthetic rubber rose 19 per cent to 76,865 tonnes during the first five months of 2007-08. India imported 1,72,000 tonnes in 2006-07."
