Rubber Growers in Tripura Hit by Fungal Leaf Fall, Drone Service Gap Raises Questions
By Our Correspondent
Agartala, September 6, 2025
Rubber cultivators in Tripura are facing major challenges due to uncontrolled leaf fall disease, recently identified as a fungal infection. The Rubber Board has advised growers to use Copper Oxychloride sprays to counter the outbreak. However, the spraying process requires aerial drone technology for effective coverage, as already practiced in Kerala.
To address the crisis, the Rubber Board arranged for agricultural spraying drones from Coimbatore, transported nearly 2,400 km by road, because of the reported non-availability of such drones in Tripura.
But the situation has revealed a surprising gap in coordination. During the Destination Tripura 2025 investment summit held at Polo Towers on February 7–8, the RNJ Group of Companies, led by Managing Director Shri Niraj Kumar Jha, signed three MoUs worth around Rs. 1.86 crore. One of these MoUs, valued at Rs. 0.50 crore, was specifically for drone services and skill development in Tripura.
Mr. Jha confirmed that, as committed, his company has already invested more than Rs. 50 lakh to establish a drone services and skill development center in Agartala. The RNJ Group has procured two medium-class agricultural spraying drones with a payload capacity of 10 liters each. The company has also informed the Skill Development and Industries Departments about its readiness.
A DGCA-certified drone pilot himself, Mr. Jha has also hired another certified pilot from Delhi to ensure smooth operations in Tripura. His center is equipped to provide training under the Kisan Drone Operator and Drone Didi initiatives, in addition to offering agricultural spraying and other drone services.
Despite this, the Rubber Board engaged drone spraying services from Kerala, incurring avoidable logistical costs. Industry observers suggest this reflects a gap in communication and coordination between the Rubber Board and local investors.
The RNJ Group is also in the process of setting up the first DGCA-authorized Remote Pilot Training Organization (RPTO) for medium-class drones in the entire North East, based in Agartala.
Adding to its credentials, the company has recently partnered with Tripura University through a startup initiative. The collaboration involves deploying drones for natural disaster management, including research on clean and safe drinking water availability during calamities.
With Tripura’s rubber sector under stress, stakeholders now stress the need for better alignment between local resources and institutional requirements, so that investments already made in the state can be leveraged effectively instead of overlooked.
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