Prices of natural rubber in Karnataka fall by 26.31% in 14 years

Prices of natural rubber in Karnataka have fallen by 26.31% in the last 14 years, from ₹247 per kg in 2011 to ₹182 per kg in 2025.

Senior economist Vigneshwar Varmudi said about 27% of compound rubber is imported to the country at zero percent import duty mainly from ASEAN and SAPTA countries. This is the main reason for the prices of natural rubber falling and not maintaining stability in the domestic market, he said.

Mr. Varmudi said that many growers in the State have begun cutting rubber trees due to price crash and are replacing rubber plantations with arecanut and other construction activities.

Natural rubber growers of Karnataka at a State-level conference at Ujire in Dakshina Kannada on Saturday urged the Union government to fix the base price of rubber for imports at ₹258 per kg and increase the import duty on compound rubber from the present rate of zero to 5% to the maximum rate of 25% to save the domestic rubber growers. They urged the State government to fix ₹258 per kg as minimum support price for natural rubber.

Karnataka State Rubber Belegarara Hitarakshana Vedike organised the conference.