Here is your free sample essay on Rubber

Although synthetic rubber and plastics have been introduced for manufacturing different items as substitutes of rubber, yet natural rubber still holds a significant position in India’s manufacturing industries.

The rubber plant “Hevea Brasiliensis” is native to the Amazon Basin of Brazil, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia. It grows wild in the equatorial regions of the world. Rubber is prepared from the latex, which is obtained from the rubber trees.

The quantity of rubber used in the world was small till 1890 and almost the entire production was contributed by the Amazon Basin. However, the consumption of rubber increased with the advent of the 20th century, when industrialization took place.

The development of auto industry, Air craft industry, Agricultural machine manufacturing, military preparedness and other industries created large demand for rubber. Rubber is grown in Plantation as well as it grows wild in the jungles.

The history of rubber is intimately connected with several names like those of Condamine, Good year, Dunlop and Sir Henry Wickham.

Growth of rubber depends upon a number of geographical and economic factors. These are:

1. It is an equatorial or a tropical plant. It grows the best in regions having hot and humid climate. It needs constantly high temperature over 26°C and with no month having less than 21°C temperature. The plant requires heavy rainfall of over 205 cms, well distributed throughout the year.

2. Gentle slopes provide ideal grounds for rubber plantations. It provides drainage to the plants.

3. Rich deep loamy soils are highly suitable for rubber plantations.

4. Preparation of land, looking after the plants, clearing of weeds, collection of latex, transportation etc. involve huge labour, thus availability of cheap and efficient labour is an asset for the development of rubber plantations.

The first rubber plantation in India was started in 1895 in Kerala. As time passed and demand of rubber arose more rubber plantations were established on hilly slopes in TN, Karnataka and elsewhere.

Presently India produces nearly 4% of the world rubber. The annual production touches over 5 Lakh tonnes and over 3.6 lakh h.a. of land is devoted to rubber cultivation.

The country has made rapid strides in rubber production.

The major states of rubber production are:

1. Kerala:

It is the leading rubber producing state of India. It contributes nearly 90% rubber production of the country. The major districts are Kottayam, Ernakulam, ICozhikode and Kollam.

2. Tamil Nadu:

It is the 2nd largest rubber producing state of India. Its contribution is nearly 4% of the total production. The main rubber producing districts are Madurai, Nilgiri, Kanyakumari, Coimbatore and Salem.

3. Karnataka:

It produces about 2% rubber of the country. Chikmaglur and kodagn are the main districts of rubber production.

4. Others:

Tripura, Andaman and Nicobar Islands also produce rubber.