The tyre industry-backed INROAD project announced that it has completed 1,79,376 hectares of new natural rubber plantations across 113 districts in Northeast India over a five-year operational cycle. Funded entirely by India’s major tyre manufacturers—Apollo Tyres, CEAT, JK Tyre, and MRF—the collaborative supply chain initiative has achieved nearly 90 per cent of its total 200,000-hectare domestic cultivation target.
The primary objective of the program, implemented alongside the Rubber Board of India, is to expand domestic production capabilities to stabilize raw material supply lines for the automotive manufacturing sector. The project has scaled regional nursery infrastructure, establishing more than 200 operational facilities to distribute over 8.3 crore high-yielding rubber clones tailored for the regional climate. The long-term agricultural deployment aims to double the North East’s aggregate share of national rubber production from 16 per cent to 32 per cent upon final completion, helping to minimize reliance on costlier raw material import channels.
Mohan Kurian, Chairman of the INROAD Project, stated that despite early operational disruptions, the project has transitioned into its next structural phase, focusing on creating localized agricultural infrastructure.