Nagaland working to enhance its rubber cultivation potential
REGIONAL: Nagaland is working to enhance its rubber cultivation potential following in the footsteps of Tripura, which has positioned itself as the second largest rubber producer in India. Governor Nand Kishore Yadav convened a meeting with officials from the Rubber Board Regional Office in Dimapur Wednesday to assess the progress of rubber development initiatives in the state.
As of March 31, 2026, Nagaland has cultivated 29,794.39 hectares of rubber, divided into 11,977.71 hectares of mature plantations and 17,816.68 hectares of immature plantations yielding a total of 13,617.21 metric tons with an average productivity of 1,166.03 kg per hectare. The meeting focused on several key initiatives by the Rubber Board including the INROAD Project aimed at significant plantation development and enhancing the rubber ecosystem in Northeast India.
This project seeks to promote sustainable rubber cultivation and uplift the livelihoods of rubber growers.
The establishment of Group Processing Centres (GPCs) has been emphasized to facilitate collective processing of rubber, improve quality and reduce costs for individual producers. Skill development is further supported through the Tappers' Intensive Skill Improvement Programme, which offers training in scientific tapping.
Innovative approaches such as drone technology have been utilized in combating the Abnormal Leaf Fall disease affecting plantations. Drone-assisted spraying of Copper Oxychloride is being deployed in several districts, covering 171.15 hectares.
Challenges faced by the rubber sector were also discussed, including inadequate rural infrastructure, a lack of skilled labor, reliance on external workforce, limited marketing avenues, and wildlife-related damage to plantations. The Rubber Board's future plans involve continuing educational and training sessions for farmers, broadening skill development initiatives, setting up more GPCs, and enhancing collaboration with the Department of Land Resources in Nagaland.
Preparations are also underway for INROAD 2.0 to expand rubber cultivation activities in the state.