Rubber cultivation getting popular than traditional farming in Assam

Goalpara (Assam), May 23 (ANI): Tribals and traditional farmers in Assam’s Goalpara District are shifting to highly lucrative rubber cultivation, instead of continuing with traditional farming.
The rubber board is arranging various training programmes to create awareness about the importance of rubber cultivation.
“At present around 2.5 lakh to 1.5 lakh rupees is available from one hectare of plantation in one year,” said M Gopinathan, director, Rubber Board, Guwahati, Assam.
Tribals have learned the benefits of rubber cultivation and are thus going for the rubber cultivation.
” I have not yet gone to a training programme… I have learnt this practically and there are many people getting engaged in this cultivation,” said Kameshwar Rabha, a farmer.
Rubber has huge demand in the international market. In the northeast, rubber cultivation is gaining popularity in Mizoram and Arunachal, beside Tripura and Assam.
The Board supporting the Rubber Plantation Development Scheme is giving equal importance to both replanting and new plantation.
The total area under rubber cultivation in Assam was 18292.14 hectare in 2007-2008. (ANI)