Import of rubber has become an "irritant": Nirmala Sitharaman

The Centre would soon bring in a national policy on rubber, as imports of the product have become an "irritant" to the domestic market, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said here today.
"Though the policy (on rubber) is ready, it has been getting delayed. We will announce it soon," Sitharaman said during the Regional Editors' Conference here.
She further said several rubber manufacturers look for imported rubber as it is "cheaper" than the ones produced domestically.
"We have taken steps to control imported rubber, which has become a huge irritant," she said, adding that import of rubber becomes a critical component as domestic production "falls short" of demand.

Pointing out that the government has taken up various steps for cultivation of rubber, Sitharaman said, "we are funding non-traditional areas to grow rubber."
"Tripura has done very well. Even some parts of Odisha, north Andhra Pradesh are also interested to do. We need more rubber to be cultivated in this country," she pointed out.

Earlier, on the production of spices in India, she said, the Centre has set a target of USD 3,000 million through exports of spices, by 2017.
"Production of spices in the country comes to around 60 lakh tonnes, of which 14 per cent are exported to more than 150 destinations around the world. We have aimed to achieve export of spices, to USD 3,000 million, by 2017," she said.

Sitharaman noted that the Spices Board had set up crop specific parks in states like Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh to boost cultivation of those crops that grow in specific location.
In order to promote spices that are state specific, she said, "Chilli has a big presence in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka. So, we have to make sure we have a Centre in Karnataka for chilli production."
On Coffee production, Sitharaman said, "Karnataka ranks
top in production of coffee at 54.2 per cent followed by Kerala at 19 per cent and Tamil Nadu at eight per cent."

"These are traditional coffee growing areas. I am glad to say that newer areas are coming up in Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand. We are looking at expanding coffee markets too," she said.
To a query on tea production, she said, the central government was looking at converting many tea growing areas in Assam and Sikkim into organic tea growing areas.
"Why organic tea?.. Because, it sells good in overseas market, where growers can brand it and bring it in local flavours," she added.
Responding to a question on poor quality arecanut being imported from Nepal and Sri Lanka, she said, she would look into the matter.