Rubber Board

A statutory agency established by the Government of India under the Rubber Act of 1947. The Rubber Board is responsible for the general development of the rubber industry in the nation. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has administrative jurisdiction over it. On issues pertaining to the rubber sector, the central government receives advice from the Rubber Board. Transactions in rubber are governed by licensing by the Rubber Board under the current Rubber Act & Rules. The board grants a number of licenses, including those for manufacturers, processors, and dealers. The Board is comprised of 28 members and is presided over by a Chairman chosen by the Central Government. The Board’s administrative center is in Kerala’s Kottayam. The Board is in charge of fostering and promoting rubber-related research, development, extension, and training initiatives center to advance the nation’s rubber sector. Additionally, it manages rubber statistical data, works to advance the marketing of rubber, and engages in labor welfare initiatives. India is the fourth largest producer of rubber and Kerala produced 90% of the rubber of this country. India produced 712,000 tonnes of NR in 2019–20 compared to 651,000 tonnes in 2018–19, indicating a noteworthy gain of 9.4% in contrast to a decline of 6.2% in the prior year. Assam recently welcomed the planting of the first genetically modified (GM) rubber plant in the world. The rubber plant, which was the first of its kind to be produced specifically for this area, is predicted to thrive in the mountainous northeastern region’s arid climate.

Functions of the Rubber Board:

• To encourage the growth of the rubber sector using whatever means it deems appropriate.
• The measures mentioned therein may provide for: Without limiting the generality of the aforementioned provision.
• Conducting, aiding, or promoting economic, technological, or scientific research.
• Teaching students more effective planting, farming, manuring, and spraying techniques.
• The technical guidance provided to rubber farmers.
• Increasing rubber marketing.
• The gathering of data from manufacturers, dealers, and estate owners.
• Ensuring improved working conditions and offering and improving benefits and incentives for employees.

Government Initiative for Rubber:

Rubber Act, 1947

The Rubber Act was adopted in 1947 and gave the Rubber Board the responsibility of promoting natural rubber, a strategic product. Since then, the sector has expanded to include 13.2 lakh small cultivating units and 8.22 lakh hectares of cultivation. This Act is necessary for the Rubber Board, the licensing scheme, extension, replanting, research, subsidies, import and export control, and several other support systems.

Rubber plantation Development Scheme

The Rubber Board’s main program in the North East is this one. The plan aims to advance rubber planting methodically by implementing the advised set of procedures. The Board is putting into action a plan to support additional planting as well as the replanting of old, unprofitable plantations. Since 1980, this has been in operation. A total of roughly 298,018 hectares have been covered by the program over the years, helping about 500,000 small and large growers.

Rubber Group planting Scheme

This is one of the larger programs that has been implemented in conjunction with the Rubber Board of India. The purpose of this plan is to group all state’s small and marginal growers who engage in rubber plantation under one organisation, the Rubber Grower’s Society or Rubber Producer’s Society, to address some of the major issues, such as getting in touch with technical officers, bringing plantation materials, growing the poly-bag nursery, starting pre-planting operations, etc., on behalf of the society’s members. To ensure that all of the members of the rubber plantation reap the rewards, cultivation and production costs must be reduced while output and productivity are raised.

India’s National Rubber Policy

In March 2019, the Department of Commerce released the National Rubber Policy. Numerous provisions in the policy support the Natural Rubber (NR) production sector and the whole value chain of the rubber industry. The topics covered include new rubber planting and replanting, grower support, processing and marketing of natural rubber, labour shortage, grower forums, external trade, Center-State integrated strategies, research, training, manufacturing and export of rubber products, climate change concerns, and the carbon market. It is founded on both short- and long-term plans. The Task Force on the Rubber Sector has highlighted these tactics as a means of easing the difficulties that the nation’s rubber growers are currently experiencing.  Through the implementation of the plan for Sustainable and Inclusive Development of the Natural Rubber Sector in the Medium Term Framework (MTF), the Rubber Board conducts research and development efforts to support the NR sector for the welfare of growers. The development efforts include training and skill development programs, the provision of high-quality planting materials, support for farmer forums, and financial and technical aid for planting.

Note: Genetic Modified Rubber

Through the use of laboratory procedures, genetic modification (GM) technology enables the transfer of genes for particular traits between species. The manganese-containing superoxide dismutase gene has been put into the plant of the GM rubber in more copies, and it is anticipated that this will help the plant survive the harsh winter conditions in the northeast. Plants can be shielded by the MnSOD gene from the damaging effects of extreme environmental conditions like cold and drought. The Northeast, which is one of India’s main rubber-producing regions, has colder climates than the warm, humid Amazon woods, where natural rubber is indigenous. During the winter months, which are typically characterized by progressive soil drying, the growth of new rubber plants is suspended. This is the cause of this crop’s prolonged immaturity phase in the area.

Conclusion: 

Rubber is a significant, widely used economic crop that generates income for many nations. Over the past 50 years, the rubber plantation business has made noteworthy strides in all facets of natural rubber cultivation, production, and productivity. Even though a large portion of the production comes from approximately one million tiny holdings, with an average holding size of 0.57ha. The majority of them are unable to fulfill the high production standards of the international market, which makes this feat all the more impressive. To meet the difficulties ahead, it is essential to have knowledge of and apply scientifically sound practices. Natural rubber output must increase to meet the rising demand, which can only be accomplished by expanding the plantation’s land base and boosting its productivity.