The development strategy for natural rubber production has to keep in view the following essential requirements:

• Optimisation of production from existing plantations through replanting with improved cultivars and better agro management
• Expansion of cultivation in traditional plantation areas, identification of suitable non-traditional areas that are fit for economic production and extension of cultivation to such areas
• Reduction of cost of production to withstand challenges from competing crops, synthetic substitutes and cheap imports
• Upgradation of quality of produce to meet the increasingly exacting demands of consuming industries
• Formation and effective working of small holders’ self help groups to ensure informed community participation to create infrastructure to facilitate organised production, processing and marketing chains to gain maximum returns. The approach also takes care of the needs of the resource poor farmers who also got an opportunity not only to derive benefits offered under various schemes but to contribute to the decision making process.