Quality spin for rubber exports

To ensure better quality of rubber exported from the country, the Rubber Board would soon come out with a quality logo.

The Board plans to instill confidence in the market about the quality of Indian rubber by issuing the quality logo for exported rubber. For this, the exporters would have to meet the quality parameters laid down by the Rubber Board. Quality inspection by the Rubber Board is mandatory for exports under the logo.

India has emerged as one of the important players in the rubber export market in the recent times. In 2007-08, the country exported close to 50,000 tonne of natural rubber. The exports have been growing since 2002-03. The highest level it touched since then was 75905 tonne in 2003-04.

Speaking to the ET, Rubber Board chairman Sajen Peter said the logo would be launched within a few weeks. Those who want to export under this logo would have to allow quality inspection by Rubber Board.

Bulk of the rubber that is exported from the country is the RSS 4 grade. The export of higher grades of rubber is also increasing gradually. Latex and the value added form RSS 1 grade rubber are also exported. The stress on quality upgradation by Rubber Board has spread the message of ‘better quality rubber’ among the farmers. The effort to improve quality has started at the farm level itself.

Initially, the quality certification from Rubber Board was necessary to export rubber under the subsidy scheme. Later this condition was relaxed when the subsidy was withdrawn. There are about 50 rubber exporters in the country. Though there have been no major complaints so far, the general feeling is that there has been a gradual decline in quality after the Rubber Board certification was done away with.