Tripura has surpassed its five-year rubber cultivation target of 30,000 hectares under an initiative of the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers' Association (ATMA) and is now aiming to increase the plantation to 69,000 hectares, an official said on Sunday.
Indian Natural Rubber Operations for Assisted Development (INROAD), backed by ATMA, was launched in 2021 to develop 2 lakh hectares of natural rubber plantation in Northeast and West Bengal over five years. Under this initiative, the Rubber Board had set a target of 30,000 hectares for Tripura.
"Tripura has already raised rubber plantations on 47,747 hectares against its five-year target of 30,000 hectares. We are expecting to increase the plantation areas up to 69,000 hectares," Rubber Board's Development Officer Arunabha Majumder.
He said rubber plantations under INROAD suffered setbacks in Assam, Manipur, and West Bengal due to various reasons, prompting the Rubber Board to focus on Tripura.
"Naturally, Tripura will be a major player in fulfilling the target of raising rubber plantations on 2 lakh hectares by the end of this year. We are putting in all efforts to maximise the plantation areas in the state," Majumder said.
Tripura, the second highest natural rubber producer in India after Kerala, has 110,648 hectares of rubber plantation in all. It produces 1,10,717 mt of natural rubber annually.
Majumder said the Rubber Board has been assisting rubber growers in all spheres, from planting to selling.
Despite all efforts, the value addition to natural rubber produced in Tripura is still very low, he rued.
"Less than 4 percent of natural rubber produced in the state has got value addition, while around 96 percent of rubber sheets or latex go outside the state. Only three companies are engaged in rubber-based products here," he said.
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