Lok Sabha Question No. 3459 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-21
Subject: Rubber Cultivation
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: ANTO  ANTONY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3459 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21 ST     DECEMBER, 2015

## RUBBER CULTIVATION

## 3459. SHRI ANTO ANTONY:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE & INDUSTRY ( वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्री ) be pleased to state:

- a) the total area under rubber plantations in the country at present, State/ UT-wise;
- b) whether there has been a decline in rubber cultivation during the last three years and the current year;
- c) if so, the details thereof alongwith the reasons therefor; and
- d) the steps taken by the Government to promote rubber cultivation in the country?

## ANSWER

वाणिज्् य एवं उद्योग राज्् य मंत्री ( सीतारमि निममला श्रीमती ) ( स्वतंत्र प्रभार )

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (INDEPENDENT CHARGE)

(SMT. NIRMALA SITHARAMAN)

- (a): The  total  area  under  rubber  plantations  in  the  country  during  2014-15  is 795,135 ha (provisional). State /UT-wise details are as under:

| State/UT          |   Area (Hectares) (Provisional) |
|-------------------|---------------------------------|
| Kerala            |                          549955 |
| Tamil Nadu        |                           20925 |
| Tripura           |                           75070 |
| Assam             |                           51795 |
| Meghalaya         |                           14775 |
| Nagaland          |                           14235 |
| Manipur           |                            3955 |
| Mizoram           |                            3550 |
| Arunachal Pradesh |                            4065 |
| Karnataka         |                           49210 |
| A&N Islands       |                             805 |
| Goa               |                            1165 |
| Maharashtra       |                            2310 |
| Odisha            |                            1840 |
| West Bengal       |                             850 |
| Andhra Pradesh    |                             630 |

***

| State/UT   |   Area (Hectares) (Provisional) |
|------------|---------------------------------|
| Total      |                          795135 |

- (b)  &  (c):  The  information  as  available  indicates  a  decline  in  the  new  planting  of rubber in the last three years. This is attributable inter alia, to several factors including pressure on domestic prices caused by surplus stock in international markets  and  asymmetry  in  the  type  of  rubber  demanded  by  the  domestic manufacturers  vis-  a-  vis  available  domestic  production.  The  details  of  new planting and replanting of rubber is as under:
- p- Provisional.
- (d): Several  programmes  covering  research,  extension  and  provision  of  financial assistance  are  implemented  through  the  Rubber  Board  to  increase  rubber production  through  new  planting,  replanting  of  uneconomic  plantations  and productivity enhancement. The scale of financial assistance for new planting and replanting during the period of 12 th Five year plan is as follows:

| Year      |   New planting (ha) |   Replanting (ha) |   Total planting (ha) |
|-----------|---------------------|-------------------|-----------------------|
| 2012-13   |               23500 |             11000 |                 34500 |
| 2013-14 p |               21000 |             15000 |                 36000 |
| 2014-15 p |               17000 |             15000 |                 32000 |

| Region                               | Planting subsidy in 12 th Plan                                                                      |
|--------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Traditional region                   | Rs. 25,000 per ha                                                                                   |
| Non-traditional region other than NE | Rs.35,000 per ha (planting subsidy - Rs.30000, reimbursement of cost of planting material- Rs.5000) |
| NE region                            | Rs.35,000 per ha (planting subsidy - Rs.30000, reimbursement of cost of planting material- Rs.5000) |