Kanyakumari rubber prices rise as latex drops

Rubber prices in Kanyakumari climbed this week while growers reported a sharp fall in latex output, traders and farmers said. Dealer quotes in the Kottayam market showed RSS-4 at Rs 271 a kg and RSS-5 at Rs 266 a kg; the Rubber Board's published rates were higher at Rs 279 for RSS-4 and Rs 274 for RSS-5. Data showed 80% processed latex at Rs 191 a kg.

RSS-4 at Rs 279

Growers reported latex production in parts of Kanyakumari fell by as much as 30% over the past two weeks, which they attributed to unusually hot September weather. Occasional showers in hilly areas have slightly improved yields, growers said, but the recovery followed a period of reduced output and has so far been limited.

Traders said the price rise reflected both the local supply gap and sustained industrial demand, including from the auto sector. A trader in Kulasekharam noted that higher synthetic rubber costs, linked to earlier disruptions in crude oil supplies, had fed through into natural rubber pricing; he added that domestic production still lagged consumption.

Market participants said prices could ease if production-recovery and demand balance improved, but they cautioned that volumes—rather than prices alone—determine growers' earnings. If rains return by Oct. 14, 2026, growers said latex yields could recover; absent that rainfall, traders said prices are likely to remain firm through the next fortnight.