INROAD allocates Rs 100 crore to boost rubber quality; model smokehouse for women rubber growers inaugurated in Assam

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJanuary 8, 2025

The Project INROAD (Indian Natural Rubber Operations for Assisted Development) has achieved a significant milestone in its drive to enhance natural rubber plantations in the Northeast, with Rs 100 crore allocated for skill development and infrastructure to improve rubber quality.

Rs 100 crore investment for quality enhancement will support capacity building, digital skill training for rubber growers, and the development of model infrastructure such as smokehouses and processing centres.

The initiative aims to fetch better prices for rubber growers by enhancing product quality.

A model smokehouse was inaugurated by Arnab Banerjee, chairman of ATMA (Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association) and MD & CEO of CEAT Limited, for a women’s cooperative, Bhaishkhuli Pragatishil Mohila Samittee in Goalpara, Assam.

The smokehouse will economically empower 65 women growers and provide training to enhance the quality of rubber sheets.

INROAD is a globally unique initiative financially supported by ATMA members, including Apollo, Ceat, JK, and MRF, and implemented by the Rubber Board of India.

Over the past four years, it has facilitated the planting of 12,527 hectares across 94 districts in the Northeast and parts of West Bengal, distributing 5.3 crore planting materials to small landholders with less than one acre.

INROAD encourages a group approach for building infrastructure and empowering communities with shared resources.

The initiative particularly benefits resource-deprived populations, focusing on economic upliftment through better-quality rubber production.

Infrastructure like smokehouses help produce high-quality rubber sheets through proper drying and curing of latex.

Training is provided through digital platforms to enhance growers’ tapping and processing skills, aligning with regional needs and sustainability goals.

The Bhaishkhuli Pragatishil Mohila Samittee in Goalpara exemplifies INROAD’s commitment to gender-inclusive development. The 65-member cooperative nurtured 16,250 high-yielding rubber plants under INROAD in 2022-2023, with the new smokehouse catalyzing their economic empowerment and improved livelihoods.

This strategic investment by INROAD not only reinforces India’s position in the natural rubber industry but also transforms rural communities, fostering sustainable development in the region.