GUWAHATI: Left front ruled Tripura has sought imposition of restriction on import of synthetic rubber from China, Malaysia and Indonesia to stabilize natural rubber market of India.
Tripura which is the second largest producer of Rubber after Kerala has asked Parliamentary Standing Committee of Industries and Commerce that this restriction is necessary to pullout the rubber growers from the setback that they suffered following sharp fall in the prices of rubber.
A 13 member parliamentary panel of commerce headed by BJP MP Chandan Mitra arrived in Tripura on Tuesday. Tripura government has sought policy to encourage value addition in the rubber sector.
Tripura’s Industry’s Minister Tapan Chakraborty said, “Tripura’s per hectare productivity is 1200 kg and annual turnover from rubber cultivation is about Rs 480 Crore but due to uncertain prices of natural rubber in the market, the producers have faced a serious setback.”
From Rs 250-300 per kg, prices have plummeted to Rs to Rs 90-100 per kg. Rubber Research Institute of India (RRII) is experimenting with specialized clones for Northeast to increase productivity and trying inter cropping to manage the losses.
To assist the ailing tea industry Marxist ruled Tripura had earlier allowed rubber cultivation in the tea estates areas. However in 2013 the state government proposed to bar land meant for tea estate for cultivation of rubber.
However after stiff opposition from different quarters the government shelved the proposal. Rubber is spread in 61,000 hectares in the state. The state’s tea production is around Tripura produces 7.5 mkgs annually.
Meanwhile Union minister for Commerce Nirmala Sitharaman and her Bangladesh counterpart Tofail Ahmed will inaugurate the first Border Haat of Tripura at Srinagar on January 13.
India has set up the Border Haat, as free trade zone. Three more Border Haats, Kamalasagar of Western Agartala, Kamalpur of Dhalai and Ragna of North Tripura is expected to be operational by March.
– India Times
