Assam Rises to Third Largest Rubber Producer as INROAD Nears Its Target

Deploying a Northeast‑adapted GM rubber plant, boosting yields through agronomy, and using trade tools aim to turn expanded plantations into higher incomes for growers

Overview

Rubber Board executive director M. Vasanthagesan said Assam now has nearly 50,000 hectares under rubber, placing the state third nationally behind Kerala and Tripura.
The INROAD project, funded by the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association and run by the Rubber Board, has planted 179,376 hectares across the Northeast and West Bengal toward a 200,000‑hectare 2021–2026 goal and has helped about 207,248 growers.
The Rubber Research Institute has supplied a Northeast‑adapted genetically modified rubber plant that has been planted in Assam to improve survival and yield in regional climates.
The Department of Commerce highlighted that India’s free trade agreements and new export tools seek to open markets for plantation products and that national exports reached $863 billion in 2025–26.
Officials say the next steps are raising productivity, improving quality and adding value through branding and processing so growers capture higher prices rather than just selling raw latex.