Natural Rubber: Sources, Southeast Asian Plantations, Production Pattern, International Trade
Geography › Agriculture and Crop Geography · Topic 11.21
Natural rubber is the milky latex of the tree Hevea brasiliensis, native to the Amazon basin. The British took seeds from Brazil to Kew in 1876 (Henry Wickham) and established plantations in Ceylon and Malaya, from where the crop spread across South-East Asia. It needs a hot, wet equatorial climate of 25 to 35 °C, 200 to 250 cm of well-distributed rain, and well-drained soil on low, sheltered slopes. Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, China, the Ivory Coast and India are leading producers. In India, Keralam grows about 90 per cent.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Geography · Agriculture and Crop Geography
At a Glance
- Source Latex of Hevea brasiliensis
- Origin Amazon basin, Brazil
- Climate 25 to 35 °C; 200 to 250 cm rain
- Top producers Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam
- Indian state Keralam (Kerala), about 90 per cent
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Geography: Agriculture and Crop Geography
Where Does It Fit?
This topic follows jute and covers a tropical plantation crop that is an industrial raw material. Rubber illustrates how a species of the Amazon was moved to Asia to build a colonial plantation economy that continues today. Previous topic: Jute: Growing Conditions, Production Pattern, International Trade, Substitutes (Flax, Hemp, Sisal). Next topic: Sugarcane: Growing Conditions and Production Pattern.
What Are the Sources and Growing Conditions?
- Sources: most natural rubber comes from the Para rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis). Some other plants yield latex, such as guayule and Russian dandelion, but are minor. Synthetic rubber, made from petroleum, competes with natural rubber and accounts for over half of rubber use.
- Origin: the Amazon basin, where it grew wild. Wild rubber from Brazil boomed in the late 19th century. In 1876 Henry Wickham took about 70,000 seeds to the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew; seedlings were sent to Ceylon, Malaya, Singapore and other colonies, and plantation rubber overtook wild rubber by the early twentieth century.
- Climate: hot and humid equatorial conditions, with a temperature of 25 to 35 °C, well-distributed rainfall of 200 to 250 cm and no strong winds, as the tree is brittle. No frost.
- Soil and relief: deep, well-drained laterite or clay loam, usually on low hills or flat land below 300 metres.
- Labour: the crop is labour-intensive because the trees are tapped by hand.
How Is Rubber Produced?
| Stage | Details |
|---|---|
| Planting | Budded stumps or clones are planted on cleared land. The trees take about five to seven years to mature, an investment of long duration |
| Tapping | A thin slice of bark is cut with a special knife at an angle, early in the morning, so that latex flows into a cup. The cut is renewed on alternate days and the tree gives latex for 25 to 30 years |
| Collection and processing | The latex is collected, strained and either concentrated or coagulated with acid into sheets, dried and smoked into ribbed smoked sheets, or crumbled into block rubber |
| Uses | Over two-thirds is used for tyres and tubes; also footwear, gloves, hoses, belts, latex products, and mattresses |
The plantation system, with large estates and smallholders, was introduced by the British in Malaya (now Malaysia), Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Indonesia (by the Dutch) and Indo-China (by the French). Smallholders now produce most natural rubber, in Thailand, Indonesia and India. The plantation agriculture type is in Performance of the Agriculture Sector and Types of Farming.
What Is the Production Pattern and Trade?
- World: about 14 million tonnes of natural rubber a year, of which Asia gives over 90 per cent. Thailand is the largest producer, followed by Indonesia, Vietnam, China, India, Malaysia, the Ivory Coast and other West African countries, where output has risen.
- India: output of about 7 to 8 lakh tonnes from about 8.5 lakh hectares. Keralam grows around 90 per cent, in the districts of Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam and Kollam, with Tamil Nadu (Kanyakumari), Karnataka, Tripura, Assam and the Garo hills of Meghalaya as other areas. India is a net importer.
- Rubber Board: set up in 1947 under the Rubber Act, headquartered at Kottayam, it carries out research, supply of planting material and marketing support.
- Trade: China is the largest consumer and importer, followed by the European Union, the United States, India, Japan and Malaysia. Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Ivory Coast are leading exporters. India imports to meet the needs of its tyre industry.
- Issues: price volatility with oil prices, as synthetic rubber follows petroleum; leaf disease; ageing of trees; labour shortage; and the need for deforestation-free supply chains, as in Deforestation: Tropical and Temperate Forest Loss.
As an analytical point, the transfer of rubber from the Amazon to Asia shows how colonial botany shaped the present geography of tropical crops. The figures are approximate, and are updated every year.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Origin Wickham and Kew
- Region Keralam and South-East Asia
- Trade Tyres and China
What Came Next?
The next topic covers sugarcane: growing conditions and production pattern. Next topic: Sugarcane: Growing Conditions and Production Pattern.
Key People and Terms
- Latex Milky sap of rubber tree
- Tapping Cutting bark to collect latex
- Hevea Para rubber tree
- Rubber Board Indian statutory body
- Smallholder Small farm owner
- Synthetic rubber Petroleum-based substitute
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Hevea came from the Amazon.
- Wickham took seeds to Kew in 1876.
- Keralam has about 90 per cent of Indian rubber.
- Rubber Board: 1947, Kottayam.
- Thailand is the largest producer.
Do Not Confuse With
- Natural and synthetic rubber Latex of a tree versus petroleum product
- Rubber and coffee plantations Equatorial lowlands versus highlands
- Tapping and retting Collecting latex versus soaking fibre stems
Memory Hook
Seeds from Amazon, Kew’s 1876, plantations in Asia; tap at dawn in Keralam’s mix.
Mains Angle
Questions ask for the geography of plantation rubber and the Indian industry. These points add depth.
- Origin Colonial transfer
- Region South-East Asia and Keralam
- Competition Synthetic rubber
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Describe the geographical conditions for rubber cultivation and the distribution of rubber plantations in South-East Asia and India.”
How to Answer
- Conditions Heat, rain, soil.
- Origin Amazon to Asia.
- Regions Thailand, Keralam.
- Trade China and tyre industry.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
From which tree is natural rubber obtained?
Natural rubber is obtained from the milky latex of the Para rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis, which is native to the Amazon basin of Brazil. The latex is collected by tapping the bark and then processed into sheets, concentrated latex or block rubber. Most of it is used for making tyres.
What are the climatic conditions required for rubber?
Rubber needs a hot, wet equatorial climate with temperatures of 25 to 35 degrees Celsius, well-distributed rainfall of 200 to 250 centimetres, and no strong winds or frost. It grows best in deep, well-drained soils on low, sheltered land, usually below 300 metres.
How did rubber reach South-East Asia?
In 1876, Henry Wickham collected about 70,000 rubber seeds from Brazil and took them to the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, near London. Seedlings from there were sent to British colonies such as Ceylon, Malaya and Singapore, where plantations were set up, and the crop spread to Indonesia and Indo-China.
Which are the major rubber-producing countries and Indian states?
Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, China, India, Malaysia and the Ivory Coast are the major rubber-producing countries. In India, Keralam grows about 90 per cent of the rubber, mainly in Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Ernakulam districts, with smaller areas in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Tripura and Assam.
What is the Rubber Board?
The Rubber Board is the statutory body for the development of the rubber industry in India, set up in 1947 under the Rubber Act and headquartered at Kottayam in Keralam. It carries out research, supplies planting material, trains growers and promotes marketing and exports of natural rubber.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 Natural rubber originated in the Amazon basin.
Henry Wickham took seeds to Kew in 1876.
2 Keralam produces about 90 per cent of India's natural rubber.
Kottayam is the centre.
3 Rubber grows best in cold and dry regions.
It needs a hot, wet climate.
4 Thailand is the largest producer of natural rubber.
Followed by Indonesia.
Past Mains Questions on This Topic
This topic comes under Agriculture and Crop Geography. UPSC Mains questions asked on the matching syllabus topic, year-wise with marks:
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