Economics of rubber industry in Kerala: An analytical study of indigenous rubber and import of rubber

The present research paper is an attempt to examine the need to import rubber and the difference between indigenous rubber and the import of the rubber industry in Kerala. The study of indigenous rubber and the import of rubber is very important and significant for the Rubber industry in Kerala in the context of growing rubber imports from other countries to India. In the present study, 54 respondents opined that the import of rubber has a positive impact on our economy and they supported it whereas 179 respondents opined that the import of rubber harms our economy and they reject it. Therefore, it can be clearly stated that the import of rubber will negatively affect the economy. Comparison between indigenous rubber and import of rubber showed the fact that the effect is moderate for all sub-variables namely offering products at a lower price, providing superior quality products, providing regulating price mechanism in the market, providing goods well packed at lower cost, launching a different variety of products which suits the convenience of the people, coaxing other dealers to bring down the prices by reducing prices, preventing black marketing and hoarding, price reduction in fast-moving items, providing after-sales services. There is no difference in the comparison of the indigenous rubber and import of the rubber industry in Kerala. To be more specific, the import of rubber has no specific advantage over indigenous rubber in the Rubber industry in Kerala.