|
The salt industry in the historic
coastal town of Vedaranyam, in Nagapattinam district, is in deep
trouble with rising cost of production, low yield and unremunerative
prices.
Vedaranyam has been engaged in
common salt production for several decades and has a special place
in the country's freedom struggle. It was from this town the late C
Rajagopalachari (Rajaji) enacted the 'Salt Satyagraha' replicating
the famous Dandi March of Mahatma Gandhi in Gujarat.
More than 20,000 labourers are employed in salt
production which is taken up between January and June.
According to the president of the Vedaranyam Salt
Manufacturers and Merchants Association, A Vedarathinam, the
production of common salt, which was around 3.5 lakh tonnes per
annum, had drastically come down this year.
High cost of production on account of higher
wages to labourers, prohibitive cost of preparing salt pans, among
other things, coupled with inclement weather was the reason for the
fall in production, he told newspersons here.
He said salt was produced on 9,500 acres along
the coast. Out of this, 7,000 acres were under two cooperatives and
the remaining owned by around 700 individual licensees.
The average salt yield, which used to be around
50 tonnes per acre, had come down to about 25 tonnes. On the other
hand, the price of salt had fallen by 50 per cent. While the cost of
production per quintal worked out to Rs 20, the present market price
was Rs 10 per quintal, he said.
Vedarathinam, grandson of freedom fighter Sardar
Vedarathinam Pillai, who assisted Rajaji in the Salt Satyagraha,
said establishment of soda ash and caustic soda manufacturing units
near the town would help salt manufacturers overcome the present
crisis. Lack of connectivity was also adding to the woes of the salt
manufacturers. The town had been isolated with the section of the
metre gauge rail link not included in the gauge conversion project.
Salt bags had to suffer transhipments at a
minimum of three places before reaching the destination, he pointed
out.
He sought establishment of a minor port at
Vedaranyam besides a broad gauge rail link.
Compared to Vedaranyam, Tuticorin salt
manufacturers had an advantage as it was a port town and well
connected by roads, enabling cheaper transportation by trucks. Truck
operators were reluctant to operate their services to Vedaranyam, a
dead end, he said.
Vedaranyam salt had also lost its prime market in
Karnataka in recent times due to lack of proper road/rail
connectivity. (Agencies)
|
