Natural rubber cultivation, a driving force for Tripura’s rural progress: Minister Santana Chakma

Santana Chakma, Tripura Industries and Commerce Minister has said that natural rubber cultivation has played a major role in the State’s socio-economic development and has become a driving force for rural progress and employment.

The Tripura Government has supported the natural rubber sector through permission for genetically modified rubber, quality-upgradation measures, smoke-house assistance, and large-scale expansion under the Chief Minister’s Rubber Mission. The central government schemes implemented by the Rubber Board, including subsidies, free training, drone-based disease control, and labour welfare benefits, have further strengthened rubber growers and rubber-based industries in the state, she said.

The Minister said at a function in Agartala to distribute mRube Best Performer Awards 2025. She also launched the 6th edition of the Virtual Trade Fair in the function.

The mRube Best Performer Award is given for the highest volume traded through mRube, the online trading platform of the Rubber Board for natural rubber.

M. Vasanthagesan, Executive Director, Rubber Board said that the mRube online platform ensures transparency in all transactions. More than 60,000 hectares have come under new planting through the INROAD (Indian Natural Rubber Operations for Assisted Development) scheme and emphasized the need to improve quality to secure better prices.

Kiran Gitte, Secretary, Industries & Commerce highlighted the crucial role rubber plays in Tripura’s economy and its potential to significantly contribute to the growth of the state’s GDP.

The Best Performer Award 2025 among tyre sector was bagged by BalkrishnaTyres. Other best performers are Classic Industries Exports, Ernakulam (Non-Tyre Sector); Ceyenar Associates, Kottayam (Dealers in other than NE Region); Manimalayar Rubbers, Guwahati Branch (Dealer in NE Region); Thunchathu Ezhuthachan Rubbers, Nilambur (Dealer in RPS Companies Category); Kavanar Latex, Pala (ISNR Processor Category); Poothrikka RPS, Ernakulam (RPS in Other than NE Region) and North Salimara Rubber Producer’s Society, Assam (RPS in NE Region).

The mRube award carries a cash prize of ₹50,000 and a citation to the markets that achieved the maximum number of trades across various categories, with the objective of promoting wider participation and trade through the platform.

The mRube electronic trading platform, launched by the Rubber Board in 2022, has received an overwhelming response from stakeholders, facilitating the trade of more than 43,500 tonnes of natural rubber through 2,700 contracts worth about ₹680 crore since its inception.

mRube is the first-of-its-kind online marketplace for any plantation crop in India, providing a transparent spot trading system where buyers and sellers can bid competitively.

Read more: here.