AGARTALA, September 2 (TIWN): To meet India's growing demand for natural rubber, the board is giving greater impetus to improve rubber cultivation in areas like Tripura.

With the aim to improve the rubber cultivation in the state, the regional office of rubber board is scheduled to conduct promotional campaign on “Scientific Rubber Cultivation and good agricultural practices” at 10 different vintage points of Tripura from Thursday, September 3.   

The program will continue from Sept 3 to 24 of this month at Sree Durga RPS, RC nagar, Radha Mohanpur, Amagachia, Dariyacherra, kanchenmala RPS, S.Anandanaga RPS, Mandai, Tulabagan, Simna RPS.

Apart from the main theme of scientific replanting, the major concerns like productivity and quality enhancement, quality planting material generation. The Board is recommending a number of techniques to increase productivity of the existing holdings, which will help the farmers to manage the holdings fairly successfully even when prices are low.

Focus will be also be given on quality rubber processing and enable the growers to explore better marketing facilities in the state.

Consideration will also be laid on how rubber cultivation can be expanded in the forest and other areas without affecting the natural balance.

India has 600,000 hectares of land under rubber plantations, producing about 750,000 tonnes of rubber annually.

Tripura is the second largest rubber producer in India after Kerala with 72,000 hectares of land under plantation, producing 40,000 tonnes of rubber annually.

Tripura's annual turnover from rubber cultivation is about Rs.480 crore.

Experienced officers and scientists of rubber board would participate in the program.