The Rubber Board is now looking at the northeastern states for rubber cultivation as there is no scope for further extension of rubber cultivation in country's rubber state, Kerala.
We are now targeting the northeastern states for rubber cultivation because there is no further scope in Kerala, Rubber Board chairman, Sajen Peter told reporters on Friday.
We are growing rubber in Tripura for quiet a long time and gradually extending our works in Assam, Mizoram and other northeastern states, he said, adding at present rubber is being cultivated in 29000 hectares of land in Tripura and 10,000 hectares in Assam and in some areas of Kolashiv district of Mizoram.
Peter said Rs 18 crore would be invested by Rubber Board alone in north-east in the coming financial year of which Rs 10 crore would be spent in Tripura.
He said Kerala being the highest rubber producing state in the country produces 90 per cent of the total production of the country and area wise Tripura emerged as the second largest rubber growing state in the country.
More than 15,000 people, mostly tribals who were earlier practising jhum cultivation were rehabilitated through rubber cultivation and they are now earning their livelihood in a decent manner, the chairman said.
{{/usCountry}}More than 15,000 people, mostly tribals who were earlier practising jhum cultivation were rehabilitated through rubber cultivation and they are now earning their livelihood in a decent manner, the chairman said.
{{/usCountry}}He stressed the need for better market linkage facility and better transport system for developing rubber based industries and added that the growers are now getting good prices of rubber.