Describing the distribution of rubber producing countries, indicate the major environmental issues faced by them. (Answer in 250…

Natural rubber is a vital tropical commodity, and its production is concentrated in equatorial and lowland tropical zones with high rainfall, warm temperatures and deep soils.

Distribution Thailand and Indonesia lead global output, with Côte d’Ivoire now third, ahead of Vietnam. India, China, Malaysia, Cambodia and the Philippines are also significant producers. In India, Kerala dominates, followed by Tripura and other north-eastern states, with smaller areas in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu (Kanyakumari). The pattern reflects the need for frost-free climates, abundant moisture and labour-intensive tapping. Southeast Asia remains the core belt and West Africa the fastest-growing one, while in Brazil, rubber's homeland, South American leaf blight has kept plantation output small.

Environmental issues Expansion of plantations has caused deforestation and habitat destruction in Southeast Asian rainforests, especially in Borneo and Sumatra, threatening orangutans and other endemic forest species. Monoculture plantations reduce biodiversity, degrade soils, and make crops vulnerable to pests and fungal diseases (South American leaf blight is a standing threat to Asian plantations). Heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides, along with latex-processing effluents, pollutes rivers and groundwater. In many plantation areas, continuous tapping and poor soil management reduce fertility over time. Water pollution affects aquatic life and downstream communities. Climate change adds risk: erratic rainfall, higher temperatures and heat stress can lower latex yield, while land clearing and processing increase the industry’s carbon footprint.