Arshid Rasool
Kottayam (Kerala), Feb 3 (JKNS): As part of a media tour organised by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Srinagar, journalists from Jammu and Kashmir on Tueaday visited the National Institute for Rubber Training (NIRT) at Kottayam, Kerala, where officials and experts showcased India’s expanding rubber ecosystem and the strategic importance of natural rubber as a key industrial raw material.
During the visit, the media was briefed on the wide range of latex-based and dry rubber-based products manufactured using natural rubber. These include gloves, foam, rubber thread, catheters, medical devices, bands, condoms, balloons, as well as tyres and inner tubes for cycles, cars, trucks and other vehicles, aero tyres, vehicle components, tubes and pipes, belts and hoses, slippers and several other industrial and consumer products.
Officials explained that natural rubber remains a strategic industrial input, supporting critical sectors such as healthcare, transportation, defence, infrastructure and manufacturing. Unlike many synthetic alternatives, natural rubber is renewable and environmentally sustainable when managed scientifically.
The National Institute for Rubber Training (NIRT) functions as a premier training arm of the Rubber Board and provides customised national and international-level courses covering rubber processing, product manufacturing, entrepreneurship development and industrial skill enhancement. The institute is equipped with demonstration laboratories, residential training facilities, and also functions through a nodal centre at Agartala, catering especially to the North Eastern region.
The media was informed about major collaborative projects, including the ambitious INROAD project, under which rubber plantations are being developed across 200,000 hectares in the North Eastern states with financial support from leading tyre manufacturing companies. These companies contribute by supplying high-quality planting material and technical support.
According to data shared, a total of 179,376.25 hectares has been planted under the INROAD project between 2021 and 2025. Tripura emerged as the leading contributor with 69,762.21 hectares, followed by Assam with 50,238.01 hectares and Meghalaya with 23,106.89 hectares. Other participating states include Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and West Bengal.
The media was also briefed about a project with the North Eastern Council (NEC), Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), with an outlay of Rs 6.54 crore, aimed at strengthening rubber-based livelihoods. In addition, the Kerala Climate Resilient Agri-value Chain Modernization (KERA) project of the Government of Kerala supports replanting of 30,000 hectares of rubber plantations across six districts to improve productivity and climate resilience.
The visit also highlighted the role of the Rubber Board, a statutory body constituted under the Rubber Act, 1947, mandated for the overall development of the rubber industry in India, including research, training, extension services and market development.
Journalists were taken through the legacy and research achievements of the Rubber Research Institute of India (RRII), whose foundation stone was laid by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India, on February 4, 1956. Officials recalled the release of elite rubber clones RRII 414 and RRII 430 by former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam during the Golden Jubilee celebrations of RRII on July 29, 2005.
Addressing the meeting at NIRT, Shri M. Vasanthagesan, IRS, Executive Director of the Rubber Board, emphasised the need for scientific plantation practices, improved germplasm, biotechnology interventions and disease management to ensure sustainable rubber production in India. He was accompanied by Ms. Priya Varma, Director (Training), NIRT, who elaborated on skill development initiatives and industry-oriented training modules.
The technical sessions were also addressed by leading scientists and experts, including Dr. C. Narayanan, Senior Scientist and Officer In-Charge, Germplasm Division, RRII; Dr. Kala RG, OIC, Biotechnology Division, RRII; Dr. Bindu Roy, Senior Scientist, Pathology Division, RRII; and Mr. Madhusoodhanan, OIC, Rubber Technology Division, RRII, who provided insights into research, disease resistance, value addition and global competitiveness of Indian natural rubber.
The PIB-organised media tour to Kerala aimed to expose journalists to best practices, research advancements and policy-driven initiatives in the rubber sector, highlighting its potential for employment generation, rural development and industrial growth, particularly in emerging regions of the country. (JKNS)
