Context:
The Chief Minister of Mizoram, launched the Mizoram Chief Minister’s Rubber Mission in Aizawl in collaboration with the Rubber Board of India, aiming to transform the state’s agriculture by promoting rubber cultivation in.
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- The mission’s design was planned, based on insights from visits to Tripura, Kerala, and the Rubber Board of India (Kottayam in Kerala).
- The mission, starting in the 2025-26 financial year, plans to cultivate 1,000 hectares annually, benefiting 1,000 farmers per year.
- It aims to cover 4,000 hectares in the first Four years. The mission received initial funding of Rs 27.98 crore from NABARD for its first phase, covering seven districts.
Rubber Production in India
- Rubber is cultivated in 16 states across India, making the country the Fourth-largest producer (911,000 metric tons), fourth-largest consumer of natural rubber, and fifth-largest consumer of natural rubber and synthetic rubber together in the world.
- Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Assam, and Meghalaya, are the top five producers of Rubber in India respectively.
- The rubber industry in India is divided into two sectors – tyre and the non-tyre sector produces all types of auto tyres, conventional as well as radial tyres and exports to advance countries.
- Thailand (4.7 million metric tons) is the largest producer followed by Indonesia and Vietnam of natural rubber in 2024.
Natural Rubber
- Natural rubber is a polymer composed of a chemical molecule called isoprene.
- Originally native to the Amazon Basin, it was introduced to tropical countries in Asia and Africa in the late 19th century.
Climatic Conditions for Rubber Cultivation
- Rubber trees thrive in moist, humid climates and tropical climates with annual rainfall exceeding 200 cm.
- They grow best in equatorial regions with temperatures above 25°C. Additionally, rubber trees require well-drained, weathered soils for optimal growth.