North-East can emerge as rubber hub of India

Encouraged by the success of pilot plantations, the Tripura government had set up the Tripura Forest Development Plantation Corporation Limited (TFDPC) in 1970, while seven years later, the government there launched a pilot scheme for economic settlement of tribals displaced because of rubber farming.Mohanan says substantial progress in rubber plantation in the region was achieved during the 7th Plan, when the Centre sanctioned a scheme for Accelerated Rubber Development in the North-East. Exploratory surveys done by the board in the past indicated that a total of 4,50,000 hectares of land in the region is suitable for rubber plantation.Another positive aspect is that the region is generally free from the major plant diseases that are prevalent in the traditional belt and soil is sufficiently ''deep'' and easy to work, he said. "However, proper care has to be taken in selecting land as water-logging and erosion are a common problem," he observed.Rubber planting helps in socio-economic development of the rural people and has proven to be an effective programme for economic settlement of tribals.Scientifically raised rubber plantations provide a green leguminous ground cover and a green umbrella cover. They purify the atmosphere and improve soil properties, he said.PTI SB MD PR