The assurance was given to a group of MPs who took up the issue with the Prime Minister today, P C Thomas (MP) said in a release here. Earlier, over 50 MPs, including Thomas, T R Baalu and P J Kurien, sat on a dharna in front of the Parliament house demanding ban on import of natural rubber using advance licence and special import licence.

Protesting the government's "silence" in taking swift action to save the situation, they said the steep fall in natural rubber prices from Rs 65 per kg to Rs 25 per kg has led to a serious crisis for about ten lakh farmers and 30 lakh labourers. The MPs also demanded ban on import of used tyres, restrict import of polyurethene used to substitute natural rubber in some industrial products, amend the Exim policy and increase import duty of natural rubber from 20 to 30per cent in the coming budget.