Madurai
Thoothukudi Small Scale Salt Manufacturers Association secretary ARAS Dhanabalan said that the sluggish market was a cause for worry, which was brought about by the widespread rains during the ongoing northeast monsoon season.
This hindered the salt transportation, and with several salt pans remaining waterlogged, even trucks were finding it difficult to access the loading points. On a daily average, around 300 truckloads of Thoothukudi salt would be transported to various parts of Tamil Nadu and other states. But in the recent days, this has come down to just 100 truckloads, he said.
However unlike common salt, industrial salt has witnessed a considerable movement. G Gragadurai, president of the association, said that there was a sizeable movement of refined free flow industrial salt to units making caustic soda, detergents, dyeing units and tanneries in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. He added that production has now come to a naught during off season and the next production would be taken up by January end or in February, if rain did not intervene.
MSP Thenraja, president, Thoothukudi Salt Merchants Association, said a tonne of manufactured salt was now fetching a market price ranging from Rs 1,200 – Rs 1,400, against Rs 800 – Rs 900 some three months ago. But, its market has shrunk and is restricted within Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
Thirty years ago, Thoothukudi salt was much in demand, after consignments in large quantities were sent to Assam, West Bengal, Bihar and Odisha. In the recent years, however, Gujarat salt took over the market, dealing a heavy blow to Thoothukudi’s production. Despite the slowdown in exports, prices witnessed steady increase in domestic market. About 10 to 15 container loads of salt would normally be shipped daily to overseas countries. Each of the container load weighs 28 tonnes of salt, he said. An exporter, TPS Pon Kumar said overseas shipments did not take off much on expected lines during this fiscal year.
According to sources from Salt Department, exports are down by about 40 per cent in the current fiscal. In the last fiscal, about 1.15 lakh tonnes of manufactured salt were shipped from Thoothukudi through logistic support of VO Chidambaranar Port.
Besides market woes, shrinking labour force is also a cause for concern. Salt production is dependent on labourers, who have been dwindling year by year. Since salt workers were rendered jobless during rain-hit days, they are unable to earn their livelihoods. Hence, the government should provide rain period relief, S Petchimuthu, a manufacturer said.
Six years ago, demands for salt for industrial purpose piled up and when they were not able to meet the requirements of garment dyeing units in Tirupur, Karur and Perundurai, it was imported from China. But owing to closure of many such dyeing units citing pollution, there is a drastic fall in demand for salt, a merchant said. Moreover, garment exports also declined by 10 per cent over the last year, which reduced the demand for salt, said a Tirupur Exporters Association said.
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