Kohima, Sep 2 (IANS) Authorities in Nagaland are increasingly using drone technology to support natural rubber cultivation, where large-scale plantations have been undertaken with the assistance of the Rubber Board and other organisations, officials said on Wednesday.
Officials said that drone technology is also being utilised to combat Abnormal Leaf Fall disease, which has been affecting rubber plantations, helping in the timely monitoring and management of the disease.
Nagaland Governor Nand Kishore Yadav on Wednesday held a review meeting with officials of the Rubber Board Regional Office, Dimapur, at Lok Bhavan, Kohima.
During the meeting, the Governor reviewed the progress and initiatives undertaken by the Rubber Board for the development and expansion of rubber cultivation in Nagaland.
The officials presented an overview of the status of rubber plantations, production, infrastructure development, farmer training and welfare initiatives across the state. As of March 31, 2026, Nagaland has a total rubber planted area of 29,794.39 hectares, comprising 11,977.71 hectares of mature plantations and 17,816.68 hectares of immature plantations.
The state recorded a total production of 13,617.21 MT of rubber, with a productivity of 1,166.03 kg per hectare, the officials said.
The meeting also reviewed key initiatives of the Rubber Board, including the INROAD Project, Group Processing Centres (GPCs), Farmer Education and Training programmes, Tappers’ Intensive Skill Improvement Programme (TISP), skill development initiatives and disease intervention measures.
Under the INROAD (Indian Natural Rubber Operations for Assisted Development) Project, efforts are being made towards large-scale plantation development and strengthening the rubber ecosystem in the Northeast.
The project aims to promote sustainable expansion of rubber cultivation and improve the livelihoods of rubber growers.
The Governor was also apprised of the establishment of Group Processing Centres aimed at facilitating collective processing, improving the quality of rubber sheets and reducing processing costs for individual growers.
Emphasis is also being placed on capacity building through on-field training, practical demonstrations, awareness programmes and exposure visits for rubber growers.
The Rubber Board has further intensified efforts to address the shortage of skilled tappers through the Tappers’ Intensive Skill Improvement Programme, which provides hands-on training in scientific rubber tapping practices.
Drone-based spraying of Copper Oxychloride has been undertaken across selected areas of Wokha, Peren and Niuland districts, covering a total of 171.15 hectares.
The meeting deliberated on the challenges confronting the rubber sector, including poor rural road connectivity, shortage of skilled tappers, dependence on outside labour, inadequate marketing channels and damage to plantations caused by wildlife.
According to the officials, the future plans of the Rubber Board include the continuation of Farmer Education and Training programmes, expansion of skill development initiatives, establishment of additional Group Processing Centres and close coordination with the Nagaland government Department of Land Resources, Government of Nagaland.
–IANS
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