Meeting held between small rubber farmers and rubber businessmen in Goalpara
A CORRESPONDENT
GOALPARA: India's leading tyre industry, MRF and Rubber Board on Thursday organized a joint cooperation meeting between the small rubber farmers and rubber businessmen at Agia of Goalpara district.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. KN Raghavan, chairman of Rubber Board, emphasized increasing local rubber production and helping the nation not to import the material from other countries. "At present the country produces about seven lakh metric tonne rubber and to fulfill the need, India still requires to import the rest," he said.
Dr. Raghavan further informed the farmers that the Rubber Board was undertaking the issues faced by the farmers with the government as well as the Forest department.
Speaking in the same meeting, Arun Mammen, vice-chairman and managing director of MRF Limited, said, "As a leading tyre company, MRF company requires every year about 25,000 metric tonne rubber. Thus, the company is desirous to go forward hand-in-hand with the farmers. However, the farmers should also emphasize upon producing quality products."
Attending the meeting, Devanand Choudhury, chairman of the Goalpara district rubber farmers' association, thanked both MRF company and the Rubber Board for arranging such a programme to exchange views with the rubber growers. Earlier, Mohan Kurian, vice-chairman of MRF Limited, delivered the inaugural speech and explained the purpose of the meeting.