Tyre companies manipulate rubber prices: Association

Kannur, Kerala, June 5 (UNI) Kerala Co-operative Marketing Societies Association today held tyre companies and rubber dealers responsible for frequent fluctuations in prices of natural rubber in the domestic market.

Association President G Sujanan told media here that the price of RSS-4 had come down from Rs 116 to Rs 107 per kg while the prices of RSS-5 and RMA lot remained at Rs 102 and Rs 100 respectively.

He said nearly eight lakh rubber growers, majority of them small farmers, were at the mercy of tyre companies and rubber dealers as they determined prices. The dealers were keeping away from the market to bring down prices.

Mr Sujanan urged the government to make arrangements for purchase of rubber directly from growers and to make available loans to primary co-operative socieities to procure rubber.

UNI AK PMM ARB PM1816