Tripura to set up 28 smoke houses under SASCI Scheme to boost rubber production

The Tripura government has initiated the construction of 28 modern smoke houses to enhance the quality of rubber sheets, which fetch higher market value, an official said on Monday.

Funded under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme, the Centre has sanctioned ₹37.50 crore for the project. According to Subhasish Das, Director of the Tribal Welfare Department, the government aims to complete the construction within the next six months.

Also Read: Tripura: BSF seizes used mobile phones worth Rs 42 lakh at Indo-Bangladesh border

Tripura, India’s second-largest natural rubber producer after Kerala, has 1,10,648 hectares of plantations, producing 1,10,717 metric tonnes annually. However, only 4% of the state's natural rubber undergoes value addition, with 96% being sent outside.

Officials from the Rubber Board believe that once operational, these smoke houses will improve rubber quality and boost earnings for local growers.