TFDPC mulls value addition project for rubber timber

{image-rubber trees_31082008.jpg news.oneindia.in}Agartala, August 31: Tripura Forest Development Corporation Ltd (TFDPC), a profit making Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) has mulled a plan to ensure commercial viability of rubber trees felled during re- plantation.

State Forest Minister Jitendra Choudhury said on Sunday, Aug 31 that in order to enhance the commercial use of rubber trees, TFDPC had launched a new venture in processing rubber timber, last year. We have also approached several MNCs from Asia and Europe for the marketing of the products. Expired rubber trees are no longer useless in Tripura as TFDPC operates in large-scale manufacturing of rubber timber as well as solid wood boards when replanting is required after 32 to 34 years of collection of latex, Mr Choudhury said.

The success of timber treatment unit at Anandanagar, 16 km from Agartala inspired TFDPC to take step to set up solid wood board manufacturing unit and within a year the rubber wood furniture got good market in India and abroad, he pointed out.

The factory started producing solid wood boards from treated rubber wood using advance technologies and machines from Taiwan, China and Germany, TFDPC officials underlined.

TFDPC also plans to bring 2423 hectares of land under the integrated rubber cultivation while Rubber Board would cover 3000 hectares of land this fiscal year, officials added.

UNI