KOLLAM: Mention Apsara or Nataraj pencils and most adults would remember their student days. However, not many know that the slender wooden slat, cut to size with grooves to hold the graphite, inside these pencils often begins their journey from small sawmills in Kollam.
For decades, Kollam supplied nearly 70% of the world’s pencil slats. The industry sustained generations of workers and supported many small-scale sawmills. This legacy is now under threat, as supply has fallen by nearly 50% in the past five to six years. While labour and transportation costs have risen sharply, slat prices have stayed frozen, at Rs 2.60 apiece, for six years.
According to manufacturers, a minimum 20% hike in slat prices is essential for survival, and talks with pencil manufacturing companies are on.
“Nine pencils can be made from two slats. However, over the years, labour and transport costs have steadily gone up while slat rates have stayed the same,” said Shaji Karuva, secretary of the Kerala Pencil Slat Manufacturers’ Association.
As a result, many manufacturing units shut down over these years. The around 150 units that survived are under severe stress. Currently, nearly 50,000 people earn their living directly while another one lakh depend on the sector indirectly. “Another major concern is the lack of interest among the younger generation due to low profits. Units now rely largely on migrant labour. However, their sudden exodus often brings production to a complete standstill,” said P Asokan, president of the association.
The district used to send around 180 loads of slats every month. This has dropped to about 70 loads now. Each load carries 300 to 400 bags and each bag contains about 900 slat pieces. The loads travel to Gujarat, Maharashtra or Pollachi, costing between Rs 7 lakh and Rs 10 lakh each.
Hindustan Pencils Pvt Ltd, Doms India and Kokuyo Camlin Ltd are the three major companies that buy Kollam slats. Popular brands like Apsara and Nataraj rely on this wood. In fact, slats from Kollam are sent to around 100 countries. The wood used is ‘vatta’, aka ‘uppila’, which, according to industry leaders, is considered among the safest woods in the world for pencils. “It is natural wood. Even if a child chews it there is no danger. However, it is not easy to find vatta these days,” said Asokan.
Slat manufacturers are licensed to source it with forest department clearance. However, illegal sourcing by other industries is rampant, they alleged. “Plywood workers too now source ‘vatta’ wood illegally. We have brought this to the government’s notice but no action has followed,” Shaji said.
Pencil slat manufacturing took root in Kollam in the early 1960s. The district even had a pencil factory in Ayathil. Those days, slats were made from vengotta trees. But when that species disappeared, manufacturers shifted to vatta and mullilavu.
With the rise of the pencil industry, vatta became a valuable commercial resource. Later, entrepreneurs from Tamil Nadu began cultivating vatta for their matchbox units. Demand soared and supply shrank, but the quality of Kollam slats remains unmatched.
“Our slats are a lot better than those made in Jammu and Kashmir, and China – those are treated and have chemicals. However, without an increment of at least 20% in slat rates, it will be hard for us to survive,” said Shaji.