As the northeast monsoon that pounded the district this year has relented, salt manufacturers have started repairing the salt pans damaged by the downpour with the hope of starting the new season by February.
Over 30,000 workers are involved in salt manufacturing on 20,000 acres in Vembar, Veppalodai, Tharuvaikulam, Ayyanarpuram, Muthaiahpuram, Mullakkadu and Arumuganeri to annually produce over 25 lakh tonnes of salt. After active production of salt for six months between April and September, work comes to a grinding halt in October once the northeast monsoon starts.
As the district gets good rainfall till December-end, manufacturers start preparing the salt pans for the next season from January. Since the district, after experiencing heavy downpour in November this year, is undergoing a dry phase since the first week of December, they have advanced their operations to repair the unprecedented damage caused by the monsoon to the salt pans.
“Repairing of salt pans may take six weeks if the present dry spell continues. If everything goes as planned, the ‘first salt’ of the season may be expected in February,” says A.R.A.S. Dhanapalan, secretary of Thoothukudi District Small-Scale Salt Manufacturers’ Association.
Now, the manufacturers have to spend around ₹10,000 per acre for repair. With the availability of salt pan workers in sufficient number, work has moved to top gear.
“We’re getting a decent sale price of ₹2,500 to ₹3,000 per tonne now. We could produce only 60% of the annual target of 25 lakh tonnes during this year due to unseasonal rain. Of this, we have only 10% of the salt, which will be sufficient to meet the demand till January-end. As we expect the production to start in February, we can effectively meet the market demand,” Mr. Dhanapalan adds.
