Tripura to set up 28 smoke houses to produce high quality rubber sheets

Agartala: The Tripura government has initiated the process to construct 28 modern smoke houses to produce high-quality rubber sheets, an official said on Monday.

Smoke houses play a crucial role in enhancing the quality of rubber sheets, which have higher market value.

"The Centre has sanctioned Rs 37.50 crore for the construction of 28 modern smoke houses under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme," Subhasish Das, director of Tripura’s Tribal Welfare Department, told PTI, adding that the government aims to complete it within the next six months.

Tripura is the second-largest natural rubber producer in the country after Kerala with 1,10,648 hectares of plantations, producing 1,10,717 metric tonnes of natural rubber annually.

According to Rubber Board officials, "Less than 4 per cent of natural rubber produced in the state undergoes value addition, while around 96 per cent of rubber sheets or latex are sent outside the state." "Once operational, these smoke houses will improve the quality of rubber sheets, increasing earnings for rubber growers," Das added.