"INROAD Project in North East Secures ₹100 Crore to Improve Natural Rubber Quality"

The INROAD (Indian Natural Rubber Operations for Assisted Development) project in the North East has secured ₹100 crore in funding to improve the quality of natural rubber. With the successful completion of the fourth year of NR plantation, the focus is now on empowering rubber growers through technical expertise and establishing infrastructure for quality enhancement.

The ₹100 crore funding will be allocated towards skill development for rubber growers and the establishment of model infrastructure, according to Arnab Banerjee, Chairman of the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA). Banerjee visited Guwahati to meet with beneficiary farmers and assess the project's progress.

INROAD is a pioneering initiative where the tyre industry directly contributes to the development of rubber plantations. It is financially supported by ATMA members, including Apollo, Ceat, JK, and MRF, and is being implemented by the Rubber Board of India.

Over the first four years, the project has successfully covered 1,25,272 hectares across 94 districts in the North East and parts of West Bengal with new NR plantations. Key areas such as tapping and processing natural rubber are targeted for skill development and infrastructure support. The project will offer digital training and build infrastructure, including Model Smoke Houses and Processing and Grading Centres, specifically tailored for the region.

Rubber smokehouses, essential for producing high-quality rubber sheets by drying and curing latex, are a crucial component of the project. Banerjee recently inaugurated the first model smokehouse for a women’s cooperative, Bhaishkhuli Pragatishil Mohila Samittee, in Goalpara, Assam. The cooperative, consisting of 65 women rubber growers, is committed to sustainable rubber farming.

This smokehouse will aid in the economic empowerment of local growers by improving the quality of rubber and increasing their revenue. It will also serve as a training and demonstration center to further enhance rubber sheet quality, directly benefiting the livelihoods of rubber growers in the region.

ET