AGARTALA, September 17 (TIWN): Tripura is going to lose its glory as second largest producer of rubber. Recently the cost price of rubber gradually went down from Rs 150 per kg to 80 per kg. The cultivators were demoralized about earning their livelihood through rubber cultivation.

It is to be mentioned here that Tripura ranks as second largest producer of rubber as of now. Earlier Natural rubber prices were ruling high, farmers were much interested to bring more area under rubber plantation. But recently the price of rubber randomly went down. The cost price of rubber is hovering Rs 60 to 80 per kg.  The gradually decrease will contnue because of the Southeast Asian Countries. Particularly Malayasia supplies high quality of rubber at affordable prices. Inspite of that,  transport cost is less in supplying this by ships rather than by trucks from Tripura to the mainlands. According to a local cultivator, earlier few years back, the cost of rubber in market was Rs 230-250.  But in the recent year it decreased to 80 .Now the cultivators feel difficulty to store the materials and paying the wage of the farmers. Recently they had submitted a deputation to the Chief Minister to help rubber cultivators of the State.