Guwahati: Tripura’s plans to develop a strong rubber-based industrial sector continue to face hurdles due to severe logistical challenges, a senior Rubber Board official said on Sunday.
Joint Rubber Production Commissioner Sali N from the Rubber Board’s Agartala office said the lack of locally available materials has become a major roadblock to industrial expansion.
“Despite our efforts, Tripura has not yet been able to establish a tyre manufacturing unit. Nearly 70 percent of the non-rubber components required for tyre or tube production are unavailable in the local market, making it difficult to sustain manufacturing operations,” he explained.
Tripura, India’s second-largest natural rubber-producing state, currently operates only one rubber thread manufacturing unit at the Bodhjungnagar Industrial Area in West Tripura district.
Sali highlighted that India produces nearly 46,000 rubber-based products, but Tripura faces higher production costs due to its dependence on suppliers from outside the state.
“When entrepreneurs source components from elsewhere, overall production costs rise sharply, discouraging new investments,” he said.
According to the official, Tripura produces about 1.16 lakh metric tonnes of natural rubber annually, an output too small to sustain large-scale industrial units. “A single factory could consume this amount within a month or two,” he added.
Despite these limitations, rubber cultivation has significantly improved the state’s rural economy. “Rubber growers are earning a steady income, and in many regions, they even receive advance payments. Cultivation has brought financial stability to numerous families,” Sali said.
To expand production, the Rubber Board and the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers’ Association (ATMA) have jointly undertaken a large-scale plantation and replantation initiative under the Chief Minister’s Rubber Mission.
The project, launched in 2021, aims to cover 30,000 hectares across the Northeast in five years. Tripura alone has achieved over 47,700 hectares of plantation within the first four years.
However, the Tripura Rajya Rubber Utpadak Samity (TRRUS) has criticised the state government for not promoting value-added industries despite the state’s high production potential.
“Our farmers produce quality rubber sheets that can easily support small and medium industries like footwear, toy, or tyre manufacturing. But the government has not taken adequate steps to establish processing units,” said Pranab Debroy, Secretary of TRRUS.
Debroy also noted that the quality of rubber sheets remains high when processed under Rubber Producers’ Societies (RPSs) but tends to drop when handled individually.
“We have requested the Rubber Board of India to provide at least one roller and smokehouse facility for every four or five growers to ensure consistent quality,” he said.
Despite the current challenges, industry experts believe that with improved logistics, better infrastructure, and proactive policy measures, Tripura could emerge as a leading hub for rubber-based industries in the Northeast.
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