Photo Courtesy: northeasttoday
Guwahati: Assam has cemented its status as India's third-largest rubber-producing state, trailing only Kerala and Tripura. This achievement signals a major shift in the region's economic landscape, with officials identifying significant growth potential for rubber cultivation throughout Northeast India.
Rubber Board Executive Director M. Vasanthagesan stated that the board is focused on expanding cultivation areas and increasing productivity to bridge the nation's natural rubber supply gap. Currently, the Northeast accounts for 1.8 lakh hectares of rubber crops, with Assam contributing nearly 50,000 hectares to that total.
Development efforts are supported by the INROAD Project, a partnership with the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association. Launched in 2021, the initiative has successfully established plantations across 179,376 hectares, providing a livelihood for more than 207,000 growers as of the 2025 season.
The state is also at the forefront of agricultural innovation. Joint Secretary of the Department of Commerce Kapil Chaudhary confirmed that "the world’s first genetically modified rubber plant, developed by the Rubber Research Institute specifically for the region, has been planted in Assam." Beyond rubber, Chaudhary noted that Assam's export portfolio is diversifying to include petroleum, coal, and cosmetics.
To build on this momentum, the central government is launching an Export Promotion Mission. With a budget of 25,060 crore rupees through 2031, the mission aims to modernize trade frameworks and increase the global competitiveness of domestic industries.
Comments