Dimapur: Nagaland has a total rubber plantation area of 29,794.39 hectares and recorded production of 13,617.21 metric tonnes, with a productivity of 1,166.03 kg per hectare as of March 31, Rubber Board’s regional office in Dimapur said on Wednesday.The plantation comprises 11,977.71 hectares of mature plantations and 17,816.68 hectares of immature plantations.The board briefed governor Nand Kishore Yadav on the progress of rubber development initiatives in the state during a review meeting at Lok Bhavan in Kohima. It presented an overview of the status of rubber plantations, production, infrastructure development, farmers’ training and welfare initiatives across Nagaland.It informed the governor about the establishment of group processing centres aimed at facilitating collective processing, improving the quality of rubber sheets and reducing processing costs for individual growers.It said emphasis was also being placed on capacity building through field training, practical demonstrations, awareness programmes and exposure visits for rubber growers.Yadav reviewed the progress and initiatives undertaken by Rubber Board for the development and expansion of rubber cultivation in Nagaland.The meeting also reviewed key initiatives of the board, including the Indian Natural Rubber Operations for Assisted Development (INROAD) Project, group processing centres, farmer education and training programmes, tappers’ intensive skill improvement programmes, skill development initiatives and disease intervention measures.Under the INROAD project, efforts are being made to promote large-scale plantation development and strengthen the rubber ecosystem in the northeast, the board said. The project aims to support the sustainable expansion of rubber cultivation and improve the livelihoods of rubber growers.The board said it had intensified efforts to address the shortage of skilled tappers through the tappers’ intensive skill improvement programme, which provides hands-on training in scientific rubber tapping practices.Officials also highlighted the use of drone technology for combating Abnormal Leaf Fall disease affecting rubber plantations. Drone-based spraying of copper oxychloride has been undertaken across selected areas of Wokha, Peren and Niuland districts, covering 171.15 hectares, they said.The meeting also deliberated on the challenges confronting the rubber sector, including poor rural road connectivity, shortage of skilled tappers, dependence on outside labour, inadequate marketing channels and damage to plantations caused by wildlife.
