Mizoram eyes major role in rubber production; CM highlights progress under Rubber Mission

Mizoram is making concerted efforts to emerge as a major rubber-producing state, Chief Minister Lalduhoma said on January 15, highlighting encouraging progress under the Chief Minister’s Rubber Mission launched in 2024.
Addressing a training programme on scientific rubber cultivation, harvesting techniques, post-harvest handling and pest management, Lalduhoma said the mission was formulated after detailed consultations with the Rubber Board of India and a study of the successful Tripura Rubber Mission to ensure a systematic and well-planned approach.
The Chief Minister said progress under the mission has surpassed initial expectations, attributing the success to the enthusiastic response from farmers who are increasingly willing to take up rubber cultivation.
He noted that despite attaining Union Territory status over five decades ago, Mizoram lacked a crop that could establish a distinct agricultural identity for the state. However, after the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) government assumed office and implemented focused policies, Mizoram was declared the ‘Ginger Capital of India’ by NITI Aayog, he said.
Lalduhoma added that passion fruit, locally known as Sapthei, is another promising crop with strong potential, while rubber could play a key role in building a strong and sustainable agricultural identity for the state.
According to officials, Mizoram has nearly 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 formally launched on October 18, 2024, with implementation by the Land Resources, Soil and Water Conservation Department beginning in early 2025.
So far, around 4.5 lakh rubber saplings have 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. During the current year, the department plans to plant over 11.58 lakh saplings across 2,575 hectares in various districts.
Infrastructure support under the mission will include construction of approach and link roads to plantations, provision of rubber roller machines and tapping tools, and facilitation of marketing arrangements. Officials said that approach and link roads measuring 46.50 km are proposed at 11 rubber plantation locations across the state this year.
The ongoing training programme, conducted by experts, is expected to train around 550 rubber growers in scientific cultivation practices, tapping techniques, processing of rubber sheets, post-harvest handling and pest management.