Agartala, Sep 24 : Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Monday announced that the state government would set up another rubber park in Santirbazar in South Tripura district to boost the natural rubber-based industries.

India's second industrial rubber park was set up in western Tripura's Bodhjungnagar area in 2012 to boost the polymer industry.

The Bodhjungnagar rubber park, a joint venture between the Tripura Industrial Development Corporation and the Rubber Board, was the second of its kind in the country after the rubber park in Kerala's Irapuram.

Addressing the two-day 'Tripura Rubber Conclave-2024', the Chief Minister on Monday said that the state now has a favourable environment for industrial development, and Tripura has become a significant destination for investors.

In this conclave, industrialists who were present also shared their experiences.

During the conclave, the Chief Minister noted that Tripura ranks second in the country in natural rubber production after Kerala.

"Nine per cent of India's rubber is produced in Tripura. The quality of the state's natural rubber is world-renowned. Tripura not only produces rubber but also has ample natural resources, creating opportunities to build many industries," Saha pointed out.

He highlighted that high-quality furniture is now being made from rubber wood and these are being used by the people of Tripura and other states in India.

"Additionally, exports of rubber-based products are being made to foreign markets. The state's Industry and Commerce department is taking various initiatives to attract investors in sectors like rubber, bamboo, and food processing," he said.

Saha further emphasised that the state government is focusing on creating an industrial-friendly environment in Tripura, developing industrial areas, food parks, bamboo parks, and more.

The Chief Minister also unveiled a booklet titled 'Transforming Tripura: The Land of Opportunities'.

A documentary on the development of the rubber industry in Tripura was also screened.

Rubber Board officials said that 70,000 hectares of land, the highest in three years, have been brought under rubber plantation under the Indian Natural Rubber Operations for Assisted Development (INROAD) project in three years in 93 districts in the northeastern states.

The manufacturing industry has committed to invest Rs 1,000 crore towards a new plantation of 2 lakh hectares and another Rs 100 crore would be spent to improve the quality of natural rubber through best practices, skilling, and training.

Of the two lakh hectares of new Natural Rubber plantations under the INROAD project, the target for Assam is one lakh hectares, followed by Tripura at 30,000 hectares.

Currently cultivating natural rubber on 97,171.93 hectares of land, Tripura is the second-largest Natural Rubber producing state in the country after Kerala, annually producing 1,02,989 tonnes of rubber, worth Rs 1620 crore.

/IANS