Dr Sawar Dhanania, Chairman of the Rubber Board, expressed optimism about the growth in both production and consumption of natural rubber (NR) in the Indian plantation sector. At the 185th meeting in Kottayam, he acknowledged the challenges such as price volatility, climate change, market issues, and labour shortage. Dr Dhanania emphasized the need for grassroots-level solutions to ensure sustainability and profitability.
“The efforts of the Rubber Board and the timely interference in disease control, adoption of rubber holdings for harvesting, formation of Rubber Tapper Groups (RTGs), etc., have resulted in the augmentation of NR production in the country. But, many challenges, including volatilities in rubber prices, climate change, market issues, labour shortage, etc., continue in the rubber sector. We need to find suitable solutions at the grassroots level to make the plantation sector more sustainable and profitable. In the present scenario, Rubber Producers’ Societies (RPSs) need further improvement in their governance and activities to face the various challenges in the rubber plantation sector. RPSs should become self-sufficient in their activities. The concept of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) in the RPS sector is a viable suggestion to experiment with in the coming days, Dr Dhanania said.

M Vasanthagesan IRS, Executive Director of the Rubber Board, provided an overview of the Indian NR sector. He reported an 8.3 percent growth in NR production, totalling 839,000 tonnes in 2022-23, with an average yield increase to 1,482 kg/ha. Domestic NR consumption reached a record high of 1,350,000 tonnes, reflecting a 9 percent increase from the previous year. The auto tyre sector saw a 4.8 percent growth, while the general rubber goods sector experienced a substantial 20.4 percent growth.

Auto-tyre manufacturing accounted for 70.3 percent of NR consumption in 2022-23. Projections for 2023-24 estimate NR production at 875,000 tonnes and consumption at 1400,000 tonnes. The Board commended the Union Government for increasing the import duty on compounded rubber to align with NR.

Additionally, the Committee recommended ensuring that the Rubber Production Incentive Scheme of the State Government reaches all small growers. The Rubber Board held meetings covering Staff Affairs, Strengthening of RPSs, and Research and development.

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Balkrishna Industries Ltd. (BKT) is showcasing its latest agricultural tyre technologies at Agritechnica Asia in Bangkok, where more than 15,000 trade visitors are expected to attend the exhibition over three days.

The off-highway tyre manufacturer is exhibiting at booth F17 alongside Chavakit Ruam Yang Co Ltd., its distributor in Thailand for more than 20 years.

BKT said the products on display are designed to address the evolving requirements of the Asian agricultural sector, with a focus on soil protection, durability and load-carrying capacity.

Among the products featured at the exhibition is HARVESTER SPECIAL, a heavy-duty tyre developed for sugarcane harvesters in Thailand. The company said the tyre’s dual-angle lug design is intended to improve traction in field conditions while maintaining road comfort.

The company is also presenting several products from its AGRIMAX range, including AGRIMAX RT 657, AGRIMAX RT 855 and AGRIMAX RT 955, which are designed for soil tillage, road use and row crop applications.

In addition, BKT is displaying tyres from its TR range, including TR 135, which is aimed at demanding tillage operations.

The exhibition is being held at the Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre (BITEC) through 22 May.

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Continental has deepened its longstanding alliance with BRABUS by engineering a bespoke ultra‑ultra‑high‑performance (UUHP) summer tyre for the new BODO supercar. The SportContact 7 Force joins the award-winning family as an exclusive derivative, marked by a special BB sidewall identification. This launch extends a technical partnership rooted in performance and precision for more than 25 years.

Developed from the tread concept of its predecessor, the new tyre focuses on maintaining maximum control at high speeds on both roads and racetracks. It provides quick responses to shifting loads, ensuring predictable lane changes and stable motorway running. The compound also delivers repeatable grip during successive braking and acceleration on a circuit.

This model-specific fitment, sized at 275/35 ZR 21 for the front and 325/30 ZR 21 for the rear, aligns tyre construction with the supercar’s axle-load realities. The collaboration ensures that the BODO’s engine power is transmitted effectively to the asphalt without sacrificing steering precision. Continental and BRABUS have consistently aligned aerodynamics and compound for very powerful vehicles.

The SportContact 7 Force serves as the enabling interface between driver intent and the road, turning bold ideas into confident handling. By pairing a sentimental heritage with a modern performance brief, the tyre translates raw power into high-speed stability. This launch marks another chapter in a decades-long technical story focused on delivering everyday performance.

Dr Marian Graßmann, Senior Tyre Developer, Continental Germany, said, "With the SportContact 7 Force, we are taking the performance of our most successful UUHP tyre to an even sportier level. The combination of adaptive tread pattern, advanced Harmonised BlackChili compound and vehicle-specific design enables handling that remains precise, stable and controllable under extreme conditions. Balancing everyday use with racetrack competence was our development target. Our tyres are the first with specification marking for BRABUS, showing that not only is the vehicle tailored made but the tyres are special too.”

Dipl.-Ing. Jörn Gander, Chief Technology Officer, BRABUS, said, “The BRABUS BODO embodies modern coachbuilding at the highest level – down to the very last detail. Together with Continental, we created a bespoke tyre technology that perfectly combines performance, control and character. The BB signature on the sidewall makes visible what sets this project apart: genuine individual development rather than compromise.”

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TyreSafe has issued an urgent appeal to UK’s equine and equestrian community following new national data that reveals a sharp rise in preventable tyre-related breakdowns involving horseboxes and trailers. The warning is based on a four-year analysis of Strategic Road Network data from 2022 to 2025, which exposes a growing maintenance gap across the towing sector. According to the findings, this neglect endangers not only road users but also the welfare of horses during transit.

The analysis shows that towing-related breakdowns have reached 4,830 incidents per year, with tyre failures accounting for 25 to 28 percent of all cases, meaning roughly one in four such breakdowns is avoidable. Since 2022, tyre failures in horseboxes have increased by 21.5 percent, while trailers now represent nearly half of all tyre-related incidents nationally. Alarmingly, there are almost as many trailer tyre failures as caravan and horsebox incidents combined, a trend linked to vehicles standing idle for long periods, which accelerates tyre degradation even when tread depth appears legal.

TyreSafe stresses that horses are often transported infrequently but carry heavy, live loads, making tyre age, condition and pressure critical. Tyres naturally deteriorate due to sunlight, weathering and prolonged static loads, leading to cracking and structural weakening. UK law already bans tyres over 10 years old on front steering axles of goods vehicles above 3.5 tonnes, including many horseboxes. TyreSafe urges road users to embrace the simple ACT protocol: regular checks of air pressure, condition and tread depth. Owners must also ensure correct load and speed ratings, avoid mixing tyre types on the same axle, check cold pressures before every journey and distribute weight evenly.

Failure to meet legal standards can result in fines and penalty points, but the greater risk is tyre failure during transit, causing dangerous roadside stops and increased stress or injury for horses. TyreSafe continues to offer free guidance and dedicated resources for the equine community, reinforcing that proper tyre maintenance directly improves animal welfare, vehicle stability and overall journey safety.

Stuart Lovatt, Chair of TyreSafe, said, “When transporting horses, a tyre failure is not just an inconvenience – it’s a serious animal welfare issue. Horses are particularly vulnerable during breakdown situations, especially on high-speed roads. The fact that one in four incidents is tyre-related shows how much of this risk is preventable. We want tyre checks to become as routine as checking tack or loading equipment. It’s a simple step that protects not just the vehicle but the horse inside it. Safer tyres mean safer journeys – for everyone.”

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The Alliance for the Future of Tires (AZuR) has closed the application phase for its startup competition, LOOP THE TYRE 2026, as of 15th May. Innovative project teams and startups from Germany, Austria and the Netherlands submitted a range of forward-looking concepts focused on advancing the sustainable tyre circular economy. The entries collectively highlight a strong innovation potential within the industry.

The submitted projects cover a wide technical spectrum, including advanced devulcanisation and recycling processes, functionalised recyclates for new tyre production and artificial intelligence solutions for quality control and tyre sorting. Other notable concepts feature chemical-free rubber waste recycling methods and novel applications for used tyres in flood control, infrastructure management and disaster relief. This diversity underlines the growing role of new technologies and business models in fostering a climate-friendly circular economy.

An independent expert jury, comprising Dr Danka Katrakova-Krüger from TH Cologne, AZuR network coordinator Anna-Maria Guth, Dr Ulrich Giese of the German Institute for Rubber Technology and Stephan Rau from the German Rubber Industry Association (wdk), is reviewing all submissions. The winners are scheduled to be determined by 1 June 2026.

Regardless of the outcome, AZuR has invited all participants to the awards ceremony at THE TIRE COLOGNE 2026 on 11 June at 2 pm. The winning startups will receive a total prize money of EUR 6,000 and a free two-year AZuR partnership, granting access to the Europe-wide network and increased industry visibility. Through LOOP THE TYRE, AZuR continues to promote business ideas and technologies that extend tyre material life cycles, conserve resources and reduce carbon emissions.

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