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Farm produce

Export natural rubber

Sheet rubber, ISNR block rubber and latex from Kerala and Tripura. Rubber Board licence needed; exports follow world prices.

Free to exportHS 4001
HS code
4001
Natural rubber latex (4001 10), ribbed smoked sheets (4001 21), technically specified natural rubber such as ISNR (4001 22) and crepe and other forms (4001 29).
Export policy
Free to export
Free under ITC(HS). Trading, processing and exporting rubber are governed by Rubber Board licensing; check the licence you need on the Rubber Board site and confirm the line on DGFT.
Registrations
3
IEC, GST and those below
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 5.9 mn
to 22 countries

What is exported

India is a large producer but also a large consumer of natural rubber; its tyre industry uses most of the crop and the country imports to fill the gap. Exports are smaller and opportunistic — they pick up when international prices are higher than domestic prices. Kerala grows most of India’s rubber, with Tripura and the other north-eastern states the fastest-growing areas.

Varieties, grades and forms

  • Ribbed smoked sheets (RSS 1–5)Graded visually under the Green Book; RSS 4 and 5 are the most traded.
  • ISNR block rubber (ISNR 5, 10, 20)Technically specified rubber in bales, tested in the lab; used by tyre makers.
  • Centrifuged latex (60% DRC)For gloves, condoms, foam and dipped goods.
  • Crepe rubberPale and estate brown crepe for footwear and adhesives.

Where it is grown or made

  • KeralaKottayam, Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam, Idukki and Kollam — most of India’s production; Kochi port.
  • Tripura and the North-EastTripura (second-largest state), Assam and Meghalaya.
  • Karnataka and Tamil NaduDakshina Kannada and Kanyakumari.

Season

Tapping slows in the wet monsoon months and in the leaf-fall (wintering) period around February–March; output peaks from October to January.

Export packing

  • Sheets in bales of about 50 kg wrapped in sheet rubber or polythene; ISNR in 33.33 kg or 35 kg bales on shrink-wrapped pallets.
  • Latex concentrate in drums, flexitanks or ISO tanks.

Who buys abroad

  • Tyre and auto-component makers
  • Rubber traders in Malaysia, Singapore and China
  • Glove, footwear and dipped-goods manufacturers

The quality buyers ask for

Sheet grades
RSS 1X to RSS 5, graded visually under the international Green Book
Block rubber
ISNR 5, 10, 20 (and latex grades) by dirt content, ash, volatile matter, nitrogen, Po and PRI
Latex concentrate
About 60% dry rubber content, high or low ammonia, mechanical stability time to buyer spec

Certificates

  • Rubber Board licenceRequiredLicence and returns required by the Rubber Board for dealing in and exporting rubber.
  • ISNR quality certificateOften askedLab certificate showing the block rubber meets the ISNR grade.
  • FSC / PEFC or EUDR due diligenceOften askedTraceability and deforestation-free evidence asked for by EU buyers.
  • ISO 9001Often askedQuality management system; often asked for by industrial buyers.

Shipping, storage and shelf life

Container load

20-ft containers typically hold about 20 tonnes of baled sheet or block rubber; latex goes in drums, flexitanks or ISO tanks.

How it travels

Sea freight from Kochi and Thoothukudi; Tripura rubber via Kolkata or through Bangladesh routes where permitted.

Storage

Dry, shaded and ventilated godowns; keep away from sunlight, copper and oils.

Shelf life

Dry rubber keeps well for a year or more if stored properly; latex must be used within months.

What goes on the pack and carton

  • Each bale: grade, lot, producer or processor code, net weight and “Product of India”; ISNR bales carry the grade marking.
  • Every carton or bag: product, grade, lot or batch number, net and gross weight, exporter name and “Made in India” / “Product of India”, matching the invoice and packing list.
Where to get it tested

The Rubber Board and its Rubber Research Institute of India (Kottayam) test and certify natural rubber; NABL-accredited polymer labs also test rubber (nabl-india.org).

Benefits of exporting this product

Where to register

  • Rubber BoardDealer, processor or exporter licence and returns as required by the Rubber Board; the Board is also the export promotion body for natural rubber under Appendix 2T.rubberboard.gov.in ↗

Quality and checks

  • Grade certification to the Indian Standard Natural Rubber (ISNR) or Green Book sheet grades: dirt, ash, volatile matter, nitrogen and plasticity.
  • Latex concentrate: dry rubber content (about 60%), ammonia level and mechanical stability.
  • EU buyers ask for deforestation-free due-diligence data (plot geolocation) under the EU Deforestation Regulation; check its current application date.
How to start small

Get the Rubber Board licence, then buy graded ISNR 20 or RSS 4 from a licensed processor in Kottayam or Agartala and offer one container when the international price is clearly above the Kottayam price. Watch the price gap daily on the Rubber Board site. Since 15 September 2026, a consignment worth up to ₹3 lakh FOB does not need an RCMC (DGFT Notification 36/2026-27). Registrations that a law requires for the product still apply.

Where new exporters go wrong

  • Committing a forward sale and then losing money when the domestic price overtakes the export price.
  • Mixed or wrongly graded sheets; buyers downgrade the whole lot.
  • No plot-level traceability for EU buyers.

Documents this product needs

Schemes that apply

Sources (5)
  1. DGFT — ITC(HS) export policy search (Schedule 2)
  2. Rubber Board — official site (licences, grades, statistics)
  3. DGFT — Appendix 2T: Export Promotion Councils and the products under each
  4. DGFT — Appendix 4R, RoDTEP schedule for DTA exports w.e.f. 10 Oct 2024 (Notification 32/2024-25)
  5. Department of Commerce — TradeStat export data by commodity and country

Trade data

Indian natural rubber exports in numbers

From the Department of Commerce’s TradeStat, country by country. US$, Indian financial years (April–March).

Exports in 2025-26
US$ 5.9 mn
-18.9% a year on average, 2020-21 to 2025-26
Change from 2024-25
↓ -33.8%
US$ 8.8 mn → US$ 5.9 mn
Buyer countries
22
Average export price
US$ 1.94
per kg · 3,013 tonnes shipped · US$ 1.83 the year before
Sri Lanka: US$ 1.7 mnIndonesia: US$ 580kMalaysia: US$ 540kSaudi Arabia: US$ 510kNepal: US$ 420kGermany: US$ 390kKenya: US$ 260kBangladesh: US$ 130kCôte d’Ivoire: US$ 120kQatar: US$ 110kUnited States of America: US$ 70kNigeria: US$ 60kUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 60kSouth Africa: US$ 50kOman: US$ 40kTürkiye: US$ 30kJapan: US$ 20kBahrain: US$ 10kUnited Kingdom: US$ 10kVietnam: US$ 10kSri Lanka: US$ 1.7 mnSri LankaIndonesia: US$ 580kIndonesiaMalaysia: US$ 540kSaudi Arabia: US$ 510kSaudi ArabiaNepal: US$ 420kNepalGermany: US$ 390kGermanyKenya: US$ 260kKenyaBangladesh: US$ 130kCôte d’Ivoire: US$ 120kQatar: US$ 110kUnited States of America: US$ 70kNigeria: US$ 60kUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 60kSouth Africa: US$ 50kOman: US$ 40kTürkiye: US$ 30kJapan: US$ 20kBahrain: US$ 10kUnited Kingdom: US$ 10kVietnam: US$ 10kIndia
Where Indian natural rubber goes — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 16.7 mn172020-212021-22: US$ 7.2 mn7.22021-222022-23: US$ 6.4 mn6.42022-232023-24: US$ 6.7 mn6.72023-242024-25: US$ 8.8 mn8.82024-252025-26: US$ 5.9 mn5.82025-26
India’s natural rubber exports, year by year · US$ million

The price cycle

India’s average export price per kg each year (total value ÷ total quantity). Highest in 2021-22, lowest in 2020-21 — a 38% swing between them. Keep this swing in mind when you quote.

2020-21: US$ 1.47 per kg1.472021-22: US$ 2.03 per kg2.032022-23: US$ 1.73 per kg2024-25: US$ 1.83 per kg2025-26: US$ 1.94 per kg1.942020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26
Average export price of Indian natural rubber · US$ per kg · dotted = year in between not available

What next: a projection from the trend

The past trend carried forward — not a forecast by any authority. Sudden changes in policy, prices or demand are not in it.

2020-21: US$ 16.7 mn2020-212021-22: US$ 7.2 mn2021-222022-23: US$ 6.4 mn2022-232023-24: US$ 6.7 mn2023-242024-25: US$ 8.8 mn2024-252025-26: US$ 5.9 mn2025-262026-27: US$ 5.1 mn (US$ 3.2 mn – US$ 8 mn)5.12026-272027-28: US$ 4.4 mn (US$ 2.7 mn – US$ 7.4 mn)4.42027-28
India’s natural rubber exports and projection · hollow bars = projection, line = likely range
By 2027-28: US$ 4.4 mn

Likely range US$ 2.7 mn to US$ 7.4 mn.

Trend
-12.3% a year
Fit (R²)
0.41 — weak, read with care
Based on
6 years of official figures

Method: a straight line through the logarithm of yearly exports (log-linear regression); range = ±1 standard error.

Biggest buyer countries

By value in 2025-26. Change is against 2024-25.

Name2025-26Change
1Sri LankaUS$ 1.7 mn-55.6%
2IndonesiaUS$ 580k+2,800%
3MalaysiaUS$ 540k-11.5%
4Saudi ArabiaUS$ 510k-29.2%
5UnspecifiedUS$ 500k—
6NepalUS$ 420k-37.3%
7GermanyUS$ 390k+200%
8KenyaUS$ 260k+766.7%
9GabonUS$ 170k—
10BangladeshUS$ 130k-40.9%
11Côte d’IvoireUS$ 120k—
12QatarUS$ 110k+120%

Where demand is rising and falling

Only countries that buy at least US$ 1 million or 1% of India’s exports of this product. Change from 2024-25 to 2025-26.

High demand

No sizeable country falls in this list this year.

Low demand

  1. Sri LankaUS$ 3.9 mn → US$ 1.7 mn-55.6%

New buyers: Countries that bought nothing from India in 2024-25 and did in 2025-26.

  • Unspecified · US$ 500k

Which forms sell, and at what price

India’s exports by 8-digit tariff line, 2025-26. Average price = total value ÷ total quantity (TradeStat): the average of every shipment on that line, not the price of any one deal.

Tariff lineValue 2025-26ChangeQuantityAverage price
Technically spcfd natrl rubr(tsnr)4001 22 00 · Rubber, technically specified natural rubber, in primary forms or in plates, sheets or stripUS$ 4 mn+2.9%1,955 tonnesUS$ 2.02 per kgwas US$ 1.93
Natrl rubr latex not prevulcanised4001 10 20 · Rubber, natural rubber latex, whether or not pre-vulcanised, in primary forms or in plates, sheets or stripUS$ 850k-71.9%543 tonnesUS$ 1.57 per kgwas US$ 1.61
Rubber, natural, in smoked sheets — natrl rubr in smkd sheets4001 21 00US$ 560k-48.6%240 tonnesUS$ 2.33 per kgwas US$ 2.25
Prevulcanised natrl rubr latex4001 10 10 · Rubber, natural rubber latex, whether or not pre-vulcanised, in primary forms or in plates, sheets or stripUS$ 360k-48.6%208 tonnesUS$ 1.73 per kgwas US$ 1.79
Balta gutta-percha etc. and smlr natrl gums4001 30 00 · Balata, gutta-percha, guayule, chicle and similar natural gums, in primary forms or in plates, sheets or stripUS$ 70k-22.2%45 tonnesUS$ 1.54 per kgwas US$ 1.71
Other natrl rubbr non-latex4001 29 90 · Rubber, natural, in primary forms or in plates, sheets or stripUS$ 40k-55.6%17 tonnesUS$ 2.39 per kgwas US$ 2.15
Natural rubber in pale crepe4001 29 20 · Rubber, natural, in primary forms or in plates, sheets or stripUS$ 10k—2.0 tonnesUS$ 4.93 per kg

The world market

Each country’s own recorded exports and imports in UN Comtrade, 2023 (the latest year nearly every country has reported).

World imports
US$ 14.1 bn
2023
India among exporters
#37
of 108 countries
India’s share of world exports
0.1%
US$ 6.7 mn
Left for others to win
US$ 12.3 bn
exported by other countries

Top exporters — your competitors

  1. 1ThailandUS$ 3.65 bn 29.6%
  2. 2IndonesiaUS$ 2.48 bn 20.1%
  3. 3Côte d'IvoireUS$ 2.05 bn 16.6%
  4. 4Viet NamUS$ 848 mn 6.9%
  5. 5MalaysiaUS$ 814 mn 6.6%
  6. 6CambodiaUS$ 452 mn 3.7%
  7. 7Lao People's Dem. Rep.US$ 310 mn 2.5%
  8. 8BelgiumUS$ 247 mn 2%
  9. 9GuatemalaUS$ 176 mn 1.4%
  10. 10PhilippinesUS$ 125 mn 1%

Biggest buyers in the world

  1. 1ChinaUS$ 3.57 bn 25.3%
  2. 2USAUS$ 1.48 bn 10.5%
  3. 3MalaysiaUS$ 1.26 bn 8.9%
  4. 4Viet NamUS$ 1.18 bn 8.4%
  5. 5JapanUS$ 960 mn 6.8%
  6. 6IndiaUS$ 714 mn 5.1%
  7. 7Rep. of KoreaUS$ 412 mn 2.9%
  8. 8TürkiyeUS$ 394 mn 2.8%
  9. 9GermanyUS$ 391 mn 2.8%
  10. 10SpainUS$ 292 mn 2.1%

Opportunity: what these countries buy from the world, and from India

Each country’s own recorded imports in UN Comtrade, latest year it has reported. The long light part of each bar is demand other countries are filling today.

ChinaUS$ 3.96 bnIndia 0% · gap US$ 3.96 bn
VietnamUS$ 1.87 bnIndia 0% · gap US$ 1.87 bn
United States of AmericaUS$ 1.82 bnIndia 0.3% · gap US$ 1.82 bn
MalaysiaUS$ 1.66 bnIndia 0% · gap US$ 1.66 bn
JapanUS$ 1.26 bnIndia 0% · gap US$ 1.26 bn
South KoreaUS$ 586 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 586 mn
GermanyUS$ 459 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 459 mn
SpainUS$ 355 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 355 mn
ItalyUS$ 259 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 259 mn
CanadaUS$ 234 mnIndia 0% · gap US$ 234 mn

TradeStat’s 2023-24 quantities are double-counted, so that year is left out of the price. Sources: TradeStat — Export Import Data Bank, Department of Commerce · UN Comtrade database (United Nations Statistics Division) · Figures taken 29 October 2026.

Step by step

How to export natural rubber

Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Côte d’Ivoire and Malaysia dominate world natural rubber exports. India ranks among the larger producers but consumes more than it grows, so it is a net importer and exports only when prices favour it. The tyre industry drives demand worldwide, and EU deforestation rules are pushing buyers towards traceable rubber. India’s smallholder plantations in Kerala and the North-East can offer traceability, which is an opening for niche exports.

  1. 01Get the licence

    Obtain the Rubber Board licence and RCMC before trading for export.

  2. 02Watch the price gap

    Compare the Kottayam price with international benchmarks daily; quote only when exports pay.

  3. 03Buy graded rubber

    Buy from licensed processors with lab-certified ISNR or properly graded sheets.

  4. 04Inspect and pack

    Get pre-shipment inspection and pack in standard bales or pallets.

  5. 05Book, stuff and file the shipping bill

    Book the container, stuff it at the factory or a CFS, file the shipping bill on ICEGATE with the correct 8-digit code and the RoDTEP/RoSCTL declaration, and get the bill of lading.

  6. 06Get paid and close the file

    Send the original documents through your bank (or to the buyer if paid in advance). Once the money arrives, get the e-BRC and claim RoDTEP, RoSCTL or drawback where they apply.

Meet buyers

Trade fairs

Questions

Questions about exporting natural rubber

Why does India export so little rubber?
Indian tyre makers buy most of the crop, and India imports to cover the shortfall. Exports happen when world prices exceed Indian prices.
Do I need a Rubber Board licence?
Yes, dealing in rubber requires a Rubber Board licence; check the current licence types on rubberboard.gov.in.
What is ISNR?
Indian Standard Natural Rubber — block rubber graded by lab tests, like TSR grades elsewhere.
How does the EU deforestation rule affect me?
EU buyers need plot geolocation and proof that the rubber did not come from land deforested after 2020. Check the regulation’s current application date.
What RoDTEP applies?
Sheets, ISNR and other dry rubber earn 1.3% of FOB; latex 1.4%, with no rupee cap.
Sources (4)
  1. Rubber Board — official site (licences, grades, statistics)
  2. DGFT — Appendix 2T: Export Promotion Councils and the products under each
  3. DGFT — Appendix 4R, RoDTEP schedule for DTA exports w.e.f. 10 Oct 2024 (Notification 32/2024-25)
  4. NABL — laboratory search

Who buys Indian natural rubber

All countries →

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