Mizoram Expands Rubber Mission to Eight Districts

Aizawl: The Mizoram government is pushing to expand rubber plantations by 2,649 hectares across eight districts. This expansion falls under the second phase of the Chief Minister's Rubber Mission. The five-year project started in 2024 with an ambitious goal of planting 11,500 total hectares. It works.

Land Resources, Soil and Water Conservation Director Vanlalmuanpuia Chhangte confirmed the second phase covers 117 clusters. He told reporters, "The government views rubber cultivation as a sustainable alternative to shifting cultivation, with additional benefits including reclamation of wastelands, soil conservation and improved water resource management."

Officials recorded 2,580 new beneficiaries for this round. These farmers plan to set 11.92 lakh rubber saplings in the ground. The state provides a four-year support package. This includes free saplings, replacement plants, fencing, and annual supplies of fertilizer and chemicals. Payments go straight to bank accounts after field verification.

The state also plans to buy 100 processing units this year for farmers with mature trees. Mizoram holds nearly 50,000 hectares of land fit for rubber, but only 7,000 hectares have been used since the crop was first introduced in 1982. The first phase began in early 2025 across Mamit and Kolasib districts. That phase covered 1,000 hectares with 936 beneficiaries and 4.5 lakh saplings. The government created 24 Rubber Producer Societies to back the effort. Planners expect to launch the third phase in 2027.