Mizoram to become major rubber producing state: Lalduhoma

Mizoram is making concerted efforts to emerge as a major rubber-producing state, Chief Minister Lalduhoma said on Thursday.
Addressing a training programme on scientific rubber cultivation, harvesting techniques, post-harvest handling and pest management here, he said the state government launched the Chief Minister’s Rubber Mission in 2024.
The CM said the mission was formulated after consultations with the Rubber Board of India and a study of the Tripura Rubber Mission to ensure a systematic and well-planned approach.
Lalduhoma claimed that progress under the mission had surpassed initial expectations due to the enthusiastic response from farmers willing to take up rubber cultivation.
He said that despite attaining Union Territory status over five decades ago, Mizoram lacked a crop that could distinctly establish its identity. However, after the Zoram People’s Movement government assumed office and implemented focused policies, the state was declared the ‘Ginger Capital of India’ by NITI Aayog, he added.
Lalduhoma said that passion fruit, locally known as ‘Sapthei’, was another promising crop with strong potential.
Rubber, he said, was among the crops through which Mizoram could build a strong agricultural identity.
According to officials, Mizoram has around 50,000 hectares of land suitable for rubber cultivation. The state government has prioritised rubber farming due to its environmental and economic benefits, including afforestation, water conservation, timber value and favourable market prospects.
Officials said the Chief Minister’s Rubber Mission was launched on October 18, 2024, with implementation by the Land Resources, Soil and Water Conservation Department beginning in early 2025.
About 4.5 lakh rubber saplings have already been planted across more than 1,000 hectares in Mamit district, which borders Tripura and Bangladesh, and Kolasib district, which shares a boundary with Assam, they said.
The department plans to plant over 11.58 lakh saplings across 2,575 hectares in various districts during the current year. Infrastructure support under the mission will include construction of approach roads to plantations, provision of rubber roller machines and tapping tools, and facilitation of marketing arrangements, officials said.
Approach and link roads measuring 46.50 km are proposed at 11 rubber plantation locations across the state during the year, they added.
The training programme, being conducted by experts, is likely to train around 550 rubber growers in scientific cultivation, tapping techniques, processing of rubber sheets, post-harvest handling and pest management.