Aizawl: The Mizoram government is accelerating efforts to transform rubber cultivation into a major driver of the state’s rural economy through the Chief Minister’s Rubber Mission, an ambitious five-year programme aimed at expanding rubber plantations by 11,500 hectares, an official said on Friday.
Speaking to reporters during a press conference here, State Land Resources, Soil and Water Conservation (LRS&WC) Director Vanlalmuanpuia Chhangte said the state has nearly 50,000 hectares of land suitable for rubber cultivation, but only around 7,000 hectares have so far been developed since rubber cultivation began in the state in 1982.
He said the government believes rubber cultivation offers multiple benefits beyond income generation, including reclaiming wastelands, conserving water resources, controlling soil erosion, and providing a sustainable alternative to shifting cultivation (jhum).
However, the high cost of establishing plantations has limited large-scale expansion in the past, he said.
Recognising rubber’s economic potential, Chief Minister Lalduhoma launched the Chief Minister’s Rubber Mission after the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) assumed power in 2023, according to Chhangte.
The mission, motivated by the success of Tripura’s model, which was highlighted by Rubber Board Chairman Sawar Dhanania during his meeting with Lalduhoma in December 2023 and followed by a series of consultations and study visits to rubber plantation areas outside Mizoram, was formally launched by Lalduhoma on December 16, 2024.
The mission seeks not only to expand plantation coverage but also to resolve challenges faced by existing rubber growers and strengthen the marketing network for rubber products, Chhangte said.
He said implementation began in early 2025 with Phase I, covering 1,000 hectares in Mamit and Kolasib districts.
Under this phase, 936 beneficiaries planted about 4.5 lakh rubber saplings. The government also established 24 Rubber Plantation Clusters, each supported by a Rubber Producer Society (RPS) to safeguard farmers’ interests, monitor plantation quality, and assist in implementing the programme, he said.
The mission entered Phase II in 2026, targeting 2,649 hectares across 117 clusters in eight districts.
Around 2,580 beneficiaries are participating in the phase, with plans to plant an additional 11.92 lakh rubber saplings, he said.
He said that, to encourage participation, the government has announced a comprehensive four-year support package for beneficiaries.
The assistance includes free rubber saplings, replacement plants, annual supplies of fertilisers and plant protection chemicals, support for fencing, terrace construction, pit digging, transportation of saplings, weeding, mulching, fertiliser application, fire protection measures, and plantation maintenance.
Financial assistance will be released only after field verification of plantation work, with eligible payments made directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system, Chhangte said.
He said the government has also announced that 100 sets of rubber-processing machinery will be procured during the current year and provided at a subsidy to farmers with mature plantations who lack the resources to purchase processing equipment.
Chhangte also said the government is planning to launch the third phase in 2027.
While the extent of plantation coverage has yet to be finalised, the LRS&WC Department is conducting district-wide surveys to identify prospective growers.
Interested farmers have been invited to submit applications through their respective district offices, he said.