Kottayam: India has been unanimously elected as the new Chairman of the International Rubber Study Group (IRSG). IRSG is the intergovernmental organization of natural rubber (NR) and synthetic rubber (SR) producing and consuming countries. Head of the Indian delegation to IRSG, Dr K.N. Raghavan IRS, Executive Director of Indian Rubber Board, will officiate as the Chairman of IRSG representing India. He will remain the Chairman of the Group for the next two years.
India, being both a producer and a consumer of rubber, would be in a good position to protect the interests of both producers and consumers in IRSG.
The Group was formed in its present form in 1944 and the headquarters of the Group is in Singapore. IRSG is the only forum where NR and SR producers and consumers can come together for discussing issues of mutual interest. Apart from collecting and disseminating statistics on the production, consumption and trade in NR and SR in the world, the IRSG provides its member governments with a forum for discussion on matters affecting the world rubber industry and acts as a government-industry interface. Further, it is the only International Commodity Body approved by Common Fund for Commodities for development financing in the rubber sector.
Apart from member governments, the IRSG has a Panel of Associates to encourage interaction between industry and the Secretariat. Any company or organization interested in the rubber industry can be a member of the Panel of Associates on payment of annual membership fee.
There are three major international rubber organizations viz., ANRPC, IRSG and IRRDB. The first two are intergovernmental and the third one is a network of research institutions in the rubber sector in different countries. Dr K.N. Raghavan will preside over the meeting of the Heads of Delegation scheduled on 31 March 2022 at Singapore.