Rubber cultivation suitable for Barak Valley

The climate of Barak Valley was suitable for rubber production which would help unemployed youths of the area develop entrepreneurial ventures.
Rubber Board's Deputy Rubber Production Commissioner K Krishnakumaran told reporters here that the total potential area for cultivation of the crop in the Valley was around 40,000 hectares of which only on 7,283 hectares of land was being cultivated now.
Rubber cultivation requires maximum temperature between 29 degrees Celsius to 34 degrees clesius and a minimum of about 20 degrees Celsius or more with high atmospheric humidity of around 80 per cent.
"Barak Valley more or less fulfils these conditions and therefore it has a huge potential for rubber cultivation which will not only benefit the economy of the region, but also help in addressing the highly educated unemployment rate of the region", Krishnakumaran said.

In Karimganj district, out of a potential 15,000 hectares of land, only 5,000 hectares was under cultivation, in Cachar district, out of 10,000 hectares of land only 1,400 hectares was under cultivation while in Hailakandi out of 10,000 hectares, rubber cultivation was being done only on 780 hectares of land.
Bhaghabazar, Panivora, Jirighat, Khumba, Labak, Poilapool, Lakhipur, Hmarkhawalein are some of the areas in Barak Valley which are doing considerably well in this sector.
The investment in this sector was one time only with Rupees two to three lakh required for investment which will yield higher returns or dividends in a minimum of 25 years.

There are 5,845 active units of rubber production in the region covering an area of 7,325 hectares.