Tripura Govt contemplating to export rubber wood furniture: CM Dr. Manik Saha

Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha on Monday said that Tripura has immense potential to grow the state’s economy through rubber based industries. He said that the government is contemplating to promote the rubber industry.

Dr. Saha was addressing a national seminar cum buyer-seller meet on Agri-Horticultural crops of Tripura here at Agartala Pragna Bhawan on Monday. The conference was organized by the Agricultural Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) of the Government of India and the Parks and Land Conservation Authority of the State Government.

He said, “In view of the state being the second largest rubber producer in the country after Kerala, emphasis has been laid on the production of high quality graded rubber sheets by setting up modern smoke houses in the state. Initiatives are also being taken to export rubber wood and rubber based furniture.”

Underlining the available natural resources in the state the chief minister on Monday pointed out that as many as 21 species of bamboo is being grown in the state of Tripura and in addition to this the economy of the state is also enhanced with the growing agriculture and horticulture sector.

“For the last few years, pineapples, lemons produced in the state are being exported to various countries. An integrated pack house has been set up at Agartala to export pineapples abroad. Moreover, different types of flowers including exotic flowers are being cultivated in the state,” he added.

Stating that the government has given utmost importance to the marketing of agricultural and horticultural crops, the Chief Minister Dr. Saha on Monday also said that once the ‘Maitri Setu’ – bridge over the river Feni is made operational to connect Tripura with Bangladesh, the trade and commerce will increase in many folds and hence this would further enhance the economy of the state.

“This will bring a massive transformation into the business scenario of not only the state of Tripura, but also the entire North-East as the South-East Asian countries will become accessible in near future,” he said.

He claimed that Tripura is growing fast with the development of connectivity through highways, railways, airways and internet.

The state agriculture minister Ratan Lal Nath had also joined the conference and the secretary of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department Apoorba Roy, Deputy General Manager of Agricultural Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) Bidyut Barua among others were also present.