The Indian state of Tripura aims to double rubber plantations to 69,000 hectares

Agartala, India – The Indian state of Tripura, under the initiative of the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers’ Association (ATMA), has surpassed its five-year rubber cultivation target of 30,000 hectares. The state now aims to expand the plantation to 69,000 hectares, an official announced on Sunday.

The Indian Natural Rubber Operations for Assisted Development (INROAD), supported by ATMA, was launched in 2021 to develop 200,000 hectares of natural rubber plantations in Northeast India and West Bengal over five years. The Rubber Board had set a target of 30,000 hectares for Tripura under this initiative.

Rubber Board’s Development Officer Arunabha Majumder told PTI, “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.”

He mentioned that rubber plantations under INROAD faced setbacks in Assam, Manipur, and West Bengal due to various reasons, leading the Rubber Board to focus on Tripura.

“Naturally, Tripura will be a major player in fulfilling the target of raising rubber plantations on 200,000 hectares by the end of this year. We are putting in all efforts to maximize 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 plantations in total and produces 110,717 metric tons of natural rubber annually.

Majumder noted that the Rubber Board has been assisting rubber growers in all aspects, from planting to selling. However, he lamented that the value addition to natural rubber produced in Tripura remains very low.

“Less than 4 percent of natural rubber produced in the state has undergone value addition, while around 96 percent of rubber sheets or latex are sent outside the state. Only three companies are engaged in rubber-based products here,” he said.